Just the Girl
by Dungeonwriter
Summary: Zuko finds help from a very unlikely source. Who knew a blind earthbender, a banished Prince and a retired general could take on the world? This chapter: The end and the beginning!
1. Just the Girl

**I was a bit disappointed with Zuko in Bitter Work. I don't know why he has such trouble with bending or why he can't evolve. He made some progress but I wish the creators would just get on with his triumph already, his angst is starting to annoy me. So I decided to create a pairing of my two favorite characters, who just truly belong together once Toph gets a bit older. She can help Zuko be all he can be and he can help her soften up just a bit. To me, it's the ideal pairing and I know I am insane, hehe. Just read and enjoy. **

Just the Girl

"She's cold and she's cruel but she knows what she's doing"-The Click 5

"If you want to beat up that fire bitch, you are going to have to think like an Earth-bender more and stop holding back," she said, her voice coming out of the shadows, disturbing my concentration.

I turned around, still trying to figure out how to bend lightning. It was that strange girl from the ghost town. "Who are you? Get away or else," I snapped. I would not allow anyone to hurt Uncle, who was sleeping in the shack.

"Who is going to make me? You? I doubt it. Don't worry, angst-pants. I'm just here to make sure Iroh is all right. Then I'll be on my way and you can blow yourself sky high," she said. Her stare was strange, as if she was looking through me.

"He's fine. Now go away and stop staring at me," I snapped, going back to concentrating on Ying and Yang, as well as beating Azula into the ground.

"Don't flatter yourself, I'm not staring at you," she replied, still looking through me.

I raised my eyes to meet hers and realized something. There was a film on her eyes. "Oh." That was all I could say.

"I get that a lot. Usually right before I crush them with a boulder," she replied.

"I'll keep that in mind. Now go away." I really did not need a girl distracting me right now.

"There is a reason you can't master that move. Like Iroh said, you are lost," the stranger said after a long pause.

I glared at her. "I am warning you, shut your mouth before I make you," I snapped. I would not beat up a girl smaller then me (besides Azula, someday) but she was making me consider an exception.

"Listen, you want to master it or you don't? What's there to lose by just listening to me?" she demanded.

"Precious time from practice?" I retorted. How annoying could a little girl be? Oh yes, Azula. Question answered.

"Frankly, Iroh said you are too independent to a fault, but he's too nice to tell you what you need to hear. I'm not. I owe him a favor so I'm going to help you."

"I don't need help," I snapped. Annoying little brat, I didn't need her. I didn't need anyone but myself!

"Mopey, just look up," she smirked. Automatically, I did and noticed the boulder above my head. The chit played dirty. "Now, do I have to pin you down or are you going to listen of your own free will?"

"Are you threatening me?" I asked. I really did not need this. "Just informing you that I have the advantage here and the rocks can keep coming. I can also trap you underground if I wish. Just hear me out and then I'll leave you to fail by yourself," she informed me smugly.

"Just say what you have to and then leave me in peace," I said through gritted teeth.

"You have talent. Otherwise Iroh wouldn't bother with a whiner like you. You are holding back. When you bend, it must be everything in you. You can't have self-doubt. I can feel the vibrations you cause. There is a note of desperation, a sense you will fail no matter what you do. That has to end here."

I rolled my eyes. I have always failed. I failed to be stronger and better then my little sister. I failed to win Father's love. I failed in the Agni Kai. I failed to recapture the Avatar. I failed to protect Uncle. Father was right, I was lucky to be born. "And what would you know about that?"

"Because since the moment I was born, I was the poor little blind girl. Everyone told me I couldn't do anything for myself. I was weak, I was helpless until I learned to shut out their voices. One day, I just said no." "No?" I pondered, in spite of my goal of ignoring the chit. 

"I would live up to my expectations. I would not let anyone else tell me who I am. You need to do it too. You will never stop being lost until you say it. Say it to the people defining you. Tell them they are wrong, tell them you don't care what they think about you, tell them who you are. Just try it. Hear their voices in your head."

I always heard those voices.

_You were lucky to be born…_

_ You'll never catch up… _

_ She's a born prodigy…_

_ You are not even good at it…_

My stance became smaller as I felt my heart fill with fear. They were always winning and I was always losing. I was a failure. I was worthless.

"Stop retreating. Fight back! Stand strong and meet them head-on!" I hear the girl yell.

I couldn't. Father was my lord, my master, my father! And Azula was perfect, she did everything perfectly and wonderfully and easily. Who was I to stand against them?

"Come on, Mopey. Fight back! Fight for your uncle. Drown out their voices and meet the challenge," she continued yelling.

"_Failure."_

_ "An outcast, his own father burned and banished him." _

_ "I hate you." _

Then another voice pierced through them all. "Never forget who you are!" I concentrated on the voice of my mother. Who was I?

_I am Zuko. _

I could be strong for Uncle and for Mother and for Cousin Lu-Ten! They had believed in me, that I could fight back! They were with me, one way or another.

I found myself filling with calm, like the rocks were calmly strong. They existed; they fed off nothing but their own strength. I had nothing to prove to anyone but myself. I was my own judge, I was my own master. As these thoughts avalanched down upon him, I assumed a fighting stance.

"YES! Now try that sequence," the girl shouted. Her voice was like a light in the darkness, guiding my thoughts to my task.

I moved my left hand around in a circle. Ying was what was soft and feminine, what was changing and yielding. Mother, who loved me unconditionally. She was comforting and soothing, she had taught him the gentleness of feeding turtle-ducks.

I moved my right hand in a circle. Yang was strong and masculine, active and strong. Uncle was a proud warrior who served his country nobly, who remained a pillar of strength to him when I needed him most.

They were separate, two halves of the same whole of me. I could feel the energy pulsing through my entire body. I was empty of everything but the strength that those people had given him. I was a vessel for their love, I was no failure or prodigy, I was no prince or exile, I was only Zuko.

And that was enough!

With a crack of thunder, I conducted the energy and allowed it to flow to my target, a tree. With a satisfying crack, the flora split in two. It was as easy as breathing, my head felt as clear as the summer skies. I turned around to hear the sound of clapping. That sound was just as satisfying.

"Well, perhaps I have to stop calling you Mopey and start calling you Sparky," the girl said, smirking beautifully. In the sunlight, she looked like a guardian spirit, sent to watch over me.

"My name is Zuko," I said. I was Zuko, son of Ursa. I was Zuko, nephew of Iroh. I was Zuko, I was my own man.

"An excellent nickname, Toph," said another voice. I turned around and saw Uncle walking towards us, a warm smile on his face. "Sparky. It fits him now that he has mastered the move." I was not sure whether to throw something at my relative or preen proudly at my new accomplishment. "Anyway, it is good to see you again, my young friend. Please join us in a cup of tea."

"I have to get back to Twinkle-toes and his merry gang of sugar-kids. I just wanted to see how you were doing and returning the favor. Though I suppose one cup wouldn't hurt," she smiled.

"I'll make it," I said, not wanting Uncle to exert himself. It was strange how utterly calm I felt. It was as if the air seemed cleaner, the sky more bright and the earth below my feet seemed welcoming and comfortable.

"No…no need. We must celebrate your great accomplishment, and that means it will be my honor to make my nephew his tea. Ahhh…have you introduced yourselves?" Uncle asked.

"She tried to kill me with earth-bending. Does that count?" I asked dryly, still wondering how that girl had managed to read my mind. Did blindness come with special skills?

"Ah excellent. That's how I met her. She only beats up the people she likes, right?" Uncle said, patting the girl's head. She smiled smugly. "So now you have the honor of knowing Toph, a most wonderful Earth-bender and a wise one, if I do say so myself."

"Toph," I said, nodding my head as I added her name to the list of people who believed in me. "It is…good to meet you."

"A pleasure shared, Sparky."

AN-Tell me what you think!


	2. In the Sun

_Cala: As we all know, Toph is one ridiculously cool chick. So why not write a fix about her? Together, Hotspur (the creative and deep Miss who brought you Downfall) and I (that other girl who occasionally updates) have decided that this absolutely must be done. Why, you may ask? Simply put, this fandom lacks variety. I'm sure a lot of people would like to crucify me for that above statement, but what did you expect from the smart-ass who brought you Defeated? Sorry, but it's true. Sutra can be good, but Zutara is getting overrated. Sorry. Anyway, we decided to make a fic about Toph. And to make it even cooler, why not make it a ship? After much long and poignant AIM conversation, Hotspur and I have concluded that ZxT is the OTP of Avatar. And we hope that this fic will make you see the light as well. Enjoy!_

_Hotspur: So here is chapter two. Now we get Toph's side of the story. I welcome Cala on board and know she will make this ship sail. Zuko and Toph are two of our favorite characters and we have a great story planned and it's going to be quite a few chapters with lots of great adventures. Special thanks to Kissing-Off and Zillian, as well as all the people who reviewed. We have created a new pairing!_

**I'm Still Here **_  
_

And you see the things they never see  
All you wanted, I could be  
Now you know me, and I'm not afraid  
And I wanna tell you who I am 

-Goo Goo Dolls

"Good to see you again," I said to Iroh as I plunked down next to my new friend. Iroh had sent Sparky to get more water for us. I was happy with the help I had pounded into the mopey teenager. It would take a while before he was worth my time. Still, it was a start.

"I thank you for getting through to my nephew. You are a good friend, Miss Toph. I cannot thank you enough." Iroh said. His footsteps were steady and calm, but he could stand to lose a few pounds. I liked that about him. His presence felt relaxing to me.

"He walks heavy. He's in pain You seem to attract a lot of trouble. You aren't a half-bad person. Why is the fire bitch after you and Firebender formally known as Mopey?" I asked, cutting straight to the point.

"You had the honor of meeting my niece. Azula. She's a prodigy and the beauty of the family. She also happens to be a deranged sadist," Iroh said, his voice getting furious, vibrating through the earth.

"Your niece? Then she is…?" I asked, feeling sick. That's why Sparky was prickly. "Makes me glad I'm an only child."

"I would not have minded being an only child. You should meet my brother, Zuko's father. He's almost as bad as Azula. But the muddiest water contains a lotus. Out of my brother came my beloved nephew. For that, I am very grateful."

"He's Prince Zuko, isn't he? I know you're the Dragon of the West," I told him. I had my servants read to me all the adventures of the great general. He had almost broken down the gates of Ba Xing Xe. Then one day, he gave up. I always wanted to know why he had ran. The minute of the words came out of my mouth, I could feel the sadness in his posture.

"It is not a part of my past that I am proud of. But yes, we were once royalty. Zuko was the heir to the throne before he was…"

"Tossed out for being worthless. Even the Earth Nation knows that. Ozai said if Zuko was captured, he could rot in prison for all he cared. Ozai wasn't shelling out cash for ransom. What did Sparky do?" I enquired. Must have been something big. Father would have died for a son who could see, instead of a "fragile little daughter."

Iroh sighed sadly. "Zuko was born unlucky, according to his father. It isn't true. He is no phenomenon, but Zuko has great talents in many areas and in any other family, would have been considered a source of great pride. The problem is Zuko was a gentle child, caring, and kind. He was a dear child, but having a supremely talented little sister kept him in the shadows. Azula took to fire bending like a turtle-duck to water. Ozai openly favored her and encouraged her cruel tendencies. He constantly struck down Zuko's self-esteem. The more he did, the more Zuko tried to please him. It all came to a head when…" Iroh stopped talking. His breathing was not good.

"We'll drop the topic. Ozai was looking to get rid of Zuko. I get it. I just don't know Zuko didn't leave earlier. Stand up for himself and tell his father where to shove it."

"First of all, because Ozai would not have hesitated to kill Zuko. He considered my nephew a failure no matter what he did. My poor nephew barely escaped with his life before. Second, because it is often not easy to answer back to our parents. I am pleased that you were blessed with parents you can open your heart to," Iroh said, his voice growing softer.

I tried not to laugh. The day I could be honest with my parents would be the day I could see them. They just saw me as helpless. "Some people have stupid parents," I said, hearing Zuko's footsteps.

"Tea's ready." He sounded tired. I sat down next to the old man. Zuko poured me a hot glass of tea. I was tired and could use something warm. This place smelled like teenage sweat and field grass. For some reason, I found that nice.

"You certainly gave him a workout, Miss Toph," Iroh laughed, which made the ground vibrate nicely. I smirked at Iroh a little. I probably could kick his ass too, if I wanted to.

"I was a little tough on him today, yeah. More than I usually am to newbies," I replied positively as I drank the tea. It was as bitter as Sparky! I could barely swallow.

"It's better that you're tough on me. I need to be ready for anything…" Sparky said in his normal serious tone of voice.

"Well, that's why I'm staying with you. To be your tutor," I said in a confident voice. I had already decided to stay with them. They needed me. I held out my glass, deciding I wanted more of the strange tea. I could sense him hesitating as he took my glass.

"Miss Toph are you sure that is wise? What about your friends?" Iroh asked. He placed the cup on the ground and I bended the earth to move it back to my hand. I smelled the tea's weird odor and took a long sip. It was bitter but it was better nothing than nothing.

"Iroh, I have to protect you from that psycho fire-lady. Sparky here can barely help himself. I think it's up to me to be the one to protect you," I said. Iroh had been the only person to understand me and I wanted to stay with him.

Zuko breathed in angrily. "I am perfectly capable of defending myself and my uncle," he hissed.

I was still smiling. I liked his reaction. Twinkle-toes would have just sulked or sniffled back to Sugar Queen. Sparky had spirit and didn't let me push him around. "Well, not yet. Now you are a weak kitten. Just give me a few days. You'll be able to take on anything."

Sparky got to his feet quickly. I was about to kick his butt again. Luckily, Iroh shoved him back down in his seat. Sparky grunted something under his breath and began noiselessly sipped his tea.

Our small camp got quiet. I started thinking about Twinkle-Toes and Sugar Queen and Ponytail. "Besides, they don't care about me either way," I muttered as I slurped my tea.

"What do you mean by that, Miss Toph?" Iroh questioned. I bend two pebbles around in a circle under my palm, low to the ground. That always helped me concentrate more.

"They're so stupid. They don't see life's a battle. Every man for himself. And when I try and do things my own way, they piss and moan. I don't need that," I grumbled, slamming the cup down. The two firebenders were quiet for a while.

I then felt Zuko get up and start to walk away. "I'm looking for some place to make camp. You can come if you want," he yelled over to us. I wasn't sure if he was talking to me. Confused, I listened for Iroh to speak.

"You go ahead, Miss Toph. I will come find you after I have finished my tea,"

"Thanks. It was…interesting," I say, bowing and running over to where I could sense Zuko's footsteps disappearing into the woods.

"I know what you mean," Zuko said, trampling over small trees. He kept snapping twigs under his heavy feet. That popping annoyed me.

"Huh?"

"About people not understanding the way of the world. I know where you're coming from," he said, brushing past a tree limb. I reached out to move the branch away from my face. I was so confused that I couldn't feel it. As I started looking for it, Zuko gave an irritated sigh.

"I'm holding it for you. Keep walking," he ordered.

"I may be blind but I am not helpless. I see through vibrations; your brainless ways of helping me makes things more annoying. I don't need your help!" I snapped at his stupidity. Suddenly, I felt him move behind me a bit and place a hand on my back. Pushing me, I stutter-stepped forward. I heard Zuko let go of the limb.

"You are blind, but you are very strong so there is no real reason to pity you. Anyway, I don't have time to bicker with you," Zuko said, as he kept walking. I had to admit; I was shocked. I kind of lowered my head and allowed a smiled to myself.

"Yeah, well, I could say the same about you…" I mumbled, following Zuko's footsteps as he walked on. He didn't reply but instead just kept on moving. Twigs snapped beneath his feet and he quietly cursed when a thorn cut his clothes and skin. I didn't say anything either. I could hear our two sets of footsteps stepping lightly on the dead leaves of the forest floor.

We continued until we came to a clearing, with the feel of the solid dirt beneath my feet. "This place seems suitable," Zuko said softly. I had to admit, the loamy dirt felt wonderful. I walked around it a little, enjoying the feel of the earth.

Zuko began to busy himself with clearing away some of the fallen logs. I would have helped him, but the boy needed to build up his strength. He grunted while trying to lift a particularly big log. The grunt sounded far too loud, though. That was when I felt a large tremble in the earth.

"Zuko, something is coming," I warned, ready to cause some damage. I raised my hands, eager to fight. I was expecting the Fire bitch. No one was going to hurt Iroh with me around!

Upon hearing the low growl, I knew that we had another problem. "Don't move," Zuko breathed, as the animal got closer and give another low growl.

"What is it?" I asked. Zuko came up behind me and taking my shoulder, forced me behind him. "Hey! What's the big idea? I can take it!" I snapped and tried to force him away. If he thought I was weak, I'd send him home to Uncle crying.

"Stay out of the way. I have to handle this alone," Zuko commanded in a steely voice. No whining like Aang, he had no hesitation. I supposed he had to take on threats somehow. I could respect that. I backed away a few steps and let him fight. I could bail him out if I wanted. It would be fun to listen to him make an attempt. I backed up until I could sense that I was under a shady tree and decided to find out what would happen.

"Zuko, if things get out of control…" I yelled over to him, not finishing my sentence. He didn't answer. I decided just to be quiet. I really wanted to see what my new student could do. I knew I could stop the animal. He had to learn to do it too.

"Go away!" I heard him yell at the creature. It growled and whinnied a bit.

I heard Zuko yell again and change his stance. The animal pawed the earth. It was going to flatten Iroh's nephew! I could feel it charge. As I raised my hands to help out, Zuko rolled out of the way. He quietly cursed and got back up on his feet, pressing down for a moment to jump into the air. For a second, I couldn't sense his vibrations at all. Iroh would never forgive me if I lost his nephew.

Suddenly he was there, landing hard on the earth. The beast gave a loud growl and charged furiously again. I couldn't feel movement from Zuko. I wondered if he had frozen up and wimped out. That would have been disappointing. The pounding got closer. I lifted up my leg in order to move the earth around Zuko. I had to get him out of way before the creature squished him.

Suddenly, I heard Zuko yell, along with a huge crash of the thunder noise. Waves of heat rushed by my face. I put up my arm to protect my face.

The creature shrieked and ran around a bit, confused. I heard it whinny again before running away back to the forest. There was some crackling and the smell of smoke. That was some powerful movement!

Zuko was panting hard. I felt him take a few weary steps around the campsite. "You did good," I called over to him from under my shady hideout. I crossed my arms and half-smiled. He had impressed me a little bit.

Zuko panted and coughed a little. He walked over to me and fell to the grass, exhausted. "I know it was good. But why do you care?"

"Because I could feel some awesome power in your moves. Teach me some," I said, kneeling next to him. I felt him shift onto his side, placing his head into the palm of his hand.

"You want to learn fire bending style?" he asked, serious. I nodded. I heard him take a long breath in, trying to get some rest. "It won't be easy. Fire bending is a delicate art of learning to balance power and restraint," he said, sitting up.

"I know. But I've mastered Earth bending easy and I'm only twelve. I can learn another form," I said, standing up and dusting off my pant legs. I offered my hand to help Zuko up. I was surprised to see he took it. He pulled himself off and began to dust off his back and arms. He then walked out from under the shade to get Uncle Iroh.

"Alright, I'll teach you. But I won't go easy on you," he called over to me. I smirked as I got up to follow him on our new journey.

"Just the way I like it."

AN-Toph and Zuko start training. Zuko learns some important lessons about strength. Oh and Toph wants to blend Earth-bending and Fire bending techniques, like how Iroh blended fire and water together. Tune in for a very long and in depth story with some twists and turns.


	3. Sound of Silence

This story is becoming one of my favorite ones to write. I am wrapping up Downfall and I hope you all join me for this jaunt, I really have big plans for this story with a lot of fun and elaborate twists in the road. Special thanks to my Co-Writer, Cala who rocks immensely. Okay, this chapter continues with Zuko's training and strengthening their friendship. I hope to see a lot of reviews!

The Sounds of Silence

"The vision that was planted in my brain still remains within the sound of silence"

-Simon and Garfunkel

Somehow, being around a blind person helped me appreciate the stars more. I remembered once having my eyes bandaged and wondering if I would ever see again. I could not imagine dwelling in eternal darkness. Eternal shame and derision was more than enough of a burden.

Toph had been good enough to share some of her food. I had to admit, females were useful enough when they were doing what the Gods intended them to do, taking care of men. Of course, I was wise enough not to mention that to Toph. I had a distinct feeling she'd grind my face into the earth.

I watched her chew methodically. It was amazing that a person who could not even see was able to eat with such refinement. She would have fitted in perfectly back…home in the palace. Yet, she was walking around unescorted like a common peasant. Her clothing definitely suggested a lower class background.

I stared at her, wondering how a cheeky girl who had been ordering me around all day had suddenly learned how to eat in a quiet, dignified fashion, almost like someone at court. "What's wrong, Mopey? You're not eating. Is there something out there?" she asked, putting her plate down and looking out into the forest. I shook my head and put another morsel of food in my mouth.

"There's nothing. I was just watching..." I trailed off, wondering how she knew I was staring at the way she ate her food with poorly concealed shock.  
"It's rude to stare, you know." she replied matter-of-factly.

"It's good policy to keep an eye on strangers. I don't know anything about you besides your name and your earthbending ability. How do we know you aren't a threat to us?" I demanded.

I scowled, but Uncle raised his hand for silence. "What my nephew means to say is perhaps you could tell us more about yourself?" he said in a kindly tone.

The girl shrugged. "What is there to know? My name is Toph the Blind Bandit, I'm the greatest Earthbender you'll ever know. I'm your nephew's new teacher as well as your friend."

I rolled my eyes. "Do you have a family or did you spring up from the earth like a weed?" I asked sharply.

Uncle cleared his throat, clearly displeased with my frankness. Before I could give a response, I felt the earth under me push me forward so that I landed sprawling on the floor. "OW!"

Toph looked furious. "I'm not blessed to have an uncle who cleans up after me like you are. If you're that desperate to know, my name is Toph of the Bai Fong clan," she hissed.

Uncle's eyes narrowed. "From Gaoling?" he asked softly as he put down his tea cup on the floor.

Toph nodded bitterly. "Yes. My parents are Lao and Wei. I'm sure you know them quite well."

Uncle nodded. "Indeed. I must confess I did not know they had a radiant daughter."

Toph scowled and crushed a rock with a flick of her fingers. "Most people didn't know. They kept me well hidden."

I stared at my two dinner companions. "Would someone explain to me what is going on?" I demanded.

Uncle nodded. "Our honored guest is the heiress to the Bai Fong family, a noble clan with immense wealth gained through a partnership with Great-grandfather Sozin. The Bai Fong clan provides supplies for the invasion in exchange for cash on the barrel. In fact, I would call them one of our allies. Yet I imagine your family's Fire nation sympathies posed a problem with your traveling companions."

Toph nodded. "Oh yes. They made it quite clear what they thought of me. They called me a number of names and questioned my loyalty. So I gave them a definitely fond farewell," she said with a savage grin. I was glad I was not the companion.

I was disgusted. "So if you had all this money and servants, why did you leave to live like a peasant?" I demanded. "Why would you leave your parents?" All I wanted was to serve Father again and go home. I would give anything to have servants and comfort again.

Toph raised her head. "My parents saw me as weak and helpless. I decided long ago I was not going to let them define me. No one should take abuse from their parents. You create your own road," she said proudly.

I found myself torn between thinking her a fool and envying her independence. I said nothing for the rest of the night, not knowing what to say in response. I just stared into the fire while Uncle recounted a tale of battle to the enthralled Toph. I had heard the story too many times and I just wanted to be left alone.

Finally, Uncle yawned and bid us both good night. Toph erected a large earth house for us and rolled over to fall asleep, leaving me alone to my thoughts. I pondered the sightless creature sleeping on the other side of the mountain that was my beloved uncle.

I had to admit, I was not entirely fond of having Little Miss Toph joining us. I was a grown man and I had no business taking orders from a female child. It was beneath my dignity. Besides, I never liked pushy females very much. Women should be quiet and dignified, like Mother had been. I had very little patience for hoydens like certain people whose names need not be mention. For all I knew, she could be a spy sent by my dear sister in order to further her life-long ambition of being an only child.

I comforted myself with the notion that Uncle seemed to trust her. As much as I knew my uncle's wisdom far exceeded my own, I still felt naturally protective of him. He was all I had. After watching Azula strike him down, my greatest fear was failing him again. If I did, I'd throw myself into the next canyon and be done with it.

I was still filled with a bit of happiness, a rare commodity when living dirt poor in exile. I had finally bent a small amount of lightning today. It may have been a mere accident, but I had to admit that it was possible Toph's coaching had paid off. I also had to admit I did not hate her, despite her prodigy-like power. She was handicapped to the world and had fought to get over it. I could respect that. Now if only she would behave more meekly, I might actually move to tolerate her.

I closed my eyes and tried to find that sense of peace Toph had given me today. It had come so easily when she had guided me there. What was that old saying? The blind leading the blind? All I could think about was the palaces, the power and the pride that should be mine.

It only seemed like a few moments that I had closed my eyes when I heard a rumbling sound akin to a herd of rhinos in mating season. "GOOD MORNING, MOPEY," came an overly cheery voice, viciously rousing me from sleep.

I opened one eye and saw the ghostly lidded eyes of my new…crew member, looking slightly past me. The ground beneath me began to shake like a ship in the middle of a storm. "Come on, Mopey. Its dawn, perfect time to start your training."

I glared at her with my most regal sneer, the one that made my former crew members scurry away. It took a second before I realized she could not see my sneer, which diminished its ability to scare her away. I had a feeling even if she could see it, she wouldn't have flinched.

"I don't feel moving! On your feet," I was sternly scolded by the blind thorn in my side. Suddenly, I felt a kick in the back by the earth as I was tossed into the air like a bushel of hay. Only my balance kept me from landing in a heap. I was starting to really hate females younger than me. "Much better!"

Uncle turned over to his side and gave an exaggerated snore. "Old men…need their slumber. Would you kindly give me another few hours?" he mumbled sleepily, looking far too innocent for the deadly bender I knew him to be. Behold the Dragon of the West, Prince of the Fire Nation, now an outlaw sleeping comfortably in the dirt. If I didn't love him so much, I'd call him crazy. Actually, I always called him crazy and maybe that was why I loved him so much. You had to be crazy to follow an unwanted outcast into exile and still keep up hope.

I expected Miss Tough-talk to throw a hissyfit, like Azula did when she didn't get her way. To my surprise, Toph smiled gently. "Of course, we'll move a bit away. You get some rest, Uncle."

"Uncle?" I queried. The only people allowed to call him uncle were the person trying to protect him and the person trying to kill him. I had one sister. I did not need two!

"Yeah. Just think of me as a member of the family, Sparky," I was told sweetly as those vacant eyes stared through me. Oh joy, just what I always wanted.

"Now enough talk. I'm planning a program of grueling mental and physical labor guaranteed to make a warrior out of you. That or kill you. Whatever comes first. Let's start with a practice match so I have a better view of your mistakes."

I stared at the diminutive child who dared give me orders. "My pleasure," I said, eager to teach her a lesson. Something inside me reminded me that this girl was on the same level as Azula. I had as much chance of defeating her as I had of being Fire Lord, but I had a belief that I could fight my rotten luck and one day, overcome it.

To my utmost surprise, Toph smiled happily at my acceptance. Her blank eyes frankly sparkled with pleasure at the idea of sparring me. "Come on, princey. Show me what you royalty are made of," she said, an eager smile on her face.

I assumed my usual fighting position and shot a fireball at her. She instantly blocked it with a wall of earth. Her face had lost the smile and had become sublime. She seemed perfectly at ease with her element. I had always wrestled with mine. "Come on, you can do better than that. I'm bored," she catcalled.

I felt myself beginning to lose my temper. I landed one of my most devastating fire-kicks at her, trying to knock her down. Each time I struck, she had already blocked it. It was strange, her hands open and ready to receive every blow. I threw walls of flame at her and she elegantly stepped aside, her body moving perfectly in rhythm. Even as I moved around, trying to vary my position, she moved with me. The ground under me shifted rapidly and I was tossed across the landscape.

"All right, I think I have what I need to start you on my program. I can see all your flaws. We have a long way to go before you are worthy of fighting," the earth girl said, methodically stroking her chin.

"How dare you?" I demanded, furious at the girl. I debated throwing something at her. I knew she would block it but it would make me feel better.

"Quiet. I want to hear sound of pain, not whining. Now, the first step on my program is working on the problems in your current form. You are going to learn much stronger stances."

"What? My stances are fine!" I protested. All right, so Uncle was constantly yelling at me to work on them, Toph did not have to now that.

"Listen up, Mopey, you need to change your tactics. Your sister knows exactly how you fight. She knows your own moves better than you. So get with the program and evolve to a different style. You'll have the element of surprise and might have a chance of grinding her under your heel." She flicked a stone chip at me for emphasis. I had to admit the girl had a point there and so I said nothing.

"Second, Sister Sadist is smaller and lighter than you, so she's going to be faster. She will therefore use her speed and agility against you. Do not let her keep an advantage. From your walk, I can tell you are most likely taller and more muscular. Think of it this way, she's the wind, you are the mountain. You are going to learn to stand your ground and work on defensive maneuvers to redirect her energy back at her."

I rolled my eyes. This sounded logical but crazy. Story of my life. "And how is defending me going to help me stop my psychopathic sister?" I drawled.

"Patience, Mopey, keep your shirt on," Toph said irritably as she cocked her head in thought.

"Why would I take my shirt off? I haven't challenged you to an Agni Kai yet," I snapped cantankerously, as I stretched a sore muscle.

"Yes, that's another thing. You rely too much on emotion instead of logic. As yesterday's lesson proved, you are still listening to the doubt in your head. You are not putting everything into every move and that's why you suck so much."

"I'm beginning to change my mind about the Agni Kai!" I hissed, really starting to lose my temper.

"Mopey, I can kill you where you stand. Stop threatening me and notice that," she smirked, pointing to the boulders loaming menacingly above my head. I hated when she did that.

"You see, you have to learn how to distance yourself from the fight. Instead of blindly charging forward like a fool, you have to listen, hear and observe your opponent. You must wait for the perfect moment and then strike. The idiotic attacks end here."

"Shut up," I ordered in a clipped, yet menacing voice. I had had all I could take from this arrogant female. I glared death at her, my fists forming blades of fire.

Toph didn't even look phased. "Listen, Mopey. Tantrums aren't going to protect your uncle or get you back on the throne. So suck it up and begin your training, if you think you are capable of it," she retorted, her hands folded irritably.

"Why should I listen to a little girl?" I seethed angrily, glaring at her with all my considerable wrath. She could not see my glare but it made me feel better.

"Because I could kick your butt without much effort and I'm trying to help you change that. Now do you want to sulk or do you want to work?" she retorted, removing her sash from her waist. "Tell me when you are done acting like an idiot and are ready to put on the blindfold."

I grabbed the cloth, determined to show the brat I could match anything she could throw at me. "Stop your yapping!" I told her sternly as I blindfolded myself. There, the sunshine had been blotted from my eyes. "I can't see, are you happy now?"

"You are blind without the cloth, Mopey. You let people define you and can't see yourself or others properly. Try growing a spine and taking a stand. It's good for you," I heard her voice. I would have thrown something at her but I had no idea where she was. I began to shift my feet around, as my loss of vision left me bewildered.

"I can't see, and your talking isn't helping. Were you sent specifically to torment me or are you just part of the group?" I hissed angrily.

"Stop whining. I don't hear effort. Now, close your mouth and open your eyes," the pest directed me. "You rely too much on your sight. Work on your other senses! Tell me what you feel?"

"Annoyed. Very annoyed." I muttered as I tried to orient myself without my vision. I felt a rock hit my side. "OW"

"Don't be a smart mouth, Mopey. We are working on your sense of touch. Now tell me what you feel," she snapped angrily.

I felt blind and helpless, neither feeling finding nor favor in my eyes. "Ugh, how do you live like this?" I muttered to myself, stumbling around like an idiot.  
"It's easier than it looks Mopey. I'm blind and younger than you and I can still fight better than you, never mind walk around, she scoffed. "I've had to live like this my entire life, I've had practice. You haven't. So have patience, it will take a few minutes."

"Yes, but you've had people guiding you along the way the whole time. Holding your hand, telling you where to step, where to stop, where to turn. I'm completely without help," I said, turning around in circle again, trying to collect my bearings.

"You think I've had it easy? Think again, Mopey. The only thing I've ever been physically guided to do was walk, and that was when I was a baby. Everything else I've taught myself or told to me. I have never depended on anyone else and you shouldn't either. So shut up and start observing," my taskmaster snapped.

I had to admit, as much as the little brat annoyed me, I admired her spirit. She had been born deformed and completely defied expectations of others. I supposed if a blind person could learn to fight, I could learn to beat Azula. Perhaps anything was possible. "I feel the earth underneath my feet. I feel the sun's warmth on…my left side," I mused, half to myself.

"Good. Now you are showing some brains. Tell me more. What can you tell me about the earth," she continued, her tone warming up considerably. "Describe it."

"The earth seems hard packed, with twigs and leaves crunching underneath my feet, which gives way when I move. There is a slight wind coming from my left hand's side. And what does this matter?" I demanded.  
"Well, this place is perfect for you to start a brush fire and limit the ability of an earth bender. If you were observant enough, you'd know that."

I remembered a distant lesson, Great Grandfather Sozin had used brush fires in the battle of Hun Twee to burn the defenses to a crisp. It had always been Azula's favorite story, she had always neglected to mention that Sozin had sacrificed a whole troop of non-bending soldiers, who got trapped when the fires grew too big. Still, it had taught the lesson well enough. I suppose…Toph might make logical sense. "I see."

"I'll tell you when you are able to truly see. Till then, back to work. Listen to the sounds and tell me what you hear," Toph said. I wondered how she lived every day in darkness, never seeing the blue sky or the sun.

"I hear you yelling orders at me," I muttered, as I took a deep breath and started concentrating. "I hear…birds."

"How many?" she pressed. My pride protested the obedience to a mere child. Azula and Father would think me a weakling and a failure, being taught by an outlander half my size who lacked the ability to see.

"I can't hear any birds," I mumbled, feeling even more ashamed of myself. I was an embarrassment to everyone. Unconsciously, I drew back into myself, my muscles tightening up more than they already were.

"Your stance is shifting. I can feel weakness. Are you a prince or a porcupine? Widen that stance and tell me how many birds you hear!"

I took a deep breath and tried a meditation trick Uncle had taught me. I concentrated on an image of a flame and fed all my thoughts to it. There was nothing but the flame. There was no fire lord, no princess, no prince. There was only the flame. Yet, it did not work! Flames reminded of Father and failure!

I concentrated on the smell of Ginseng tea. Uncle had always drank it after Lu-Ten died. When I smelled it, I know I was safe. I know that I had support and love, no matter what happened. It seemed to calm the storm in my mind enough for me to concentrate. "Three…no, four birds."

"Actually, it's five, but I'll accept this as your first try. Next time, I expect better. Now keep going. What else do you feel and hear?" I concentrated her voice. It grew less annoying as it became my guide in the darkness.

"I hear the wind…" I mumbled, still feeling foolish. "It's a light breeze, coming from my right hand across my left."

"All right. You are starting to get the hang of this. Now let's kick it up a notch. Do you have a staff or something?" Toph asked, sounding very pleased.

"I use swords," I informed her primly. I was very proud of my skill with the blade, even though my family always believed swords were a lesser proficiency to bending.

"Only non-benders use weapons. I suppose you barely can fire bend, so you need to rely on more… inferior skills," my younger sister would say sweetly, as she would demonstrate the easy way fire seemed to dance at her command. I therefore had been forced to practice in secret to avoid her scorn and Father's disappointment.

"Then take out your swords. We'll see if you have the skills to use them," the girl informed me with a challenge in her voice. "I'll be lobbing rocks at you. You will block them blindfolded; use the listening skills you practiced. The bruising will help the lessons sink in."

"Have you gone crazy?" I asked. A stone hitting my side was the only response. "Stop that!" Another barrage of stones hit my side, like the beating of a drum, with me as the instrument of pain.

"If you want to stop the pain, defend yourself," I heard my new female tormentor say, with a mocking tone to her voice. With a twist of my hands and a scything sound, I had my weapons ready. "That's better!"

Another volley of rocks hit me. They came at me from all directions, like the traumas in my life. Being born a weakling, losing Lu-Ten, losing Mother, losing my home, losing my only chance to go home, it all came like the hailstorm of stones pelting me like some adulterous wife. My body was becoming as battered as my mind. I urged myself to concentrate. Yet, the thudding of the stones just made me angrier and less able to focus.

I could feel myself knock a few stones away, but not enough to keep away the bruising punishment. I wanted to remove the blindfold, but my hands held swords. If I dropped them, I'd be completely defenseless. I could ask Toph to stop, but I'd lose my pride. With everything else taken from me, I had to protect my self-esteem with all my might.

"Fight back, Zuko." I heard Toph's voice detonate through my head like fireworks. "You can do it. Don't let me down." I could see my friend's green eyes in my mind. They were clouded and blank and sightless, but saw everything. There was a comforting emptiness in her powerful blank stare, a sense that she only saw the good in me. The feeling of complete peace settled over me. That feeling of confidence radiated through me, like sunlight after a fierce storm.

Every sound seem magnified. I could hear the roar of the wind in my ears, I could track the movements of the stones. Taking a deep breath, I raised my swords and whirled around. I concentrated on the heat in the air, feeling the changes as the stones approached. With that empty concentration, I was feeling sublime. As the stones approached, I managed to shove them away. "You're doing it!" Her voice was a light in the darkness.

"Of course I can," I answered. Yes, my mind was clear now. At last, I could see everything. It was almost like a dance. I could feel the stones coming, but I was not afraid. I almost looked forward to each approach. I smiled as I felt the hard enemy being driven back.

The tempo of the onslaught grew faster as did the tempo of my blocking. I whirled out of the way of a stone flying at my head and blocked another headed for my chest. "I'm ready for more," I said when I felt no rock approaching. I was ready for anything!

"Zuko, remove your blindfold." I was directed by my teacher's soft voice. I instantly obeyed, waiting for my next task. When I removed it, I was shocked to see the damage I had inflicted. Stones were imbedded into the ground, into the trunks of trees. Broken limbs dangled by a few strands of bark. Some had been completely knocked off, leaving gaping holes in the canopy. I turned to Toph and I saw my teacher bowing slightly to me, her smile wide with approval. "Well done."

I returned the bow respectfully, knowing in my heart that she could see it.

AN-Keep on reading, reviewing and enjoying!


	4. Move Along

_Sorry for the delay, but some real life events got in the way. Cala and I are pleased to present you the next chapter of Just the Girl, which has been planned out to be a very long, exciting, and unique story. We would like to thank all our reviewers for cheering us on; we adore each and every one of you. We would also like to congratulate Jesus.Lives for being our hundredth reviewer (and an incredible Zuko/Toph writer herself). We would also like to dedicate this chapter to two people. KissingOff who did an amazing piece of fanart for this piece, we can't thank you enough._

_Also in loving and honored memory of Mako, the voice of Iroh who ascended to the spirit world. May your memory be for a blessing! Now without further ado.._

Move Along 

"Even when your hope is gone  
Move along just to make it through"

-All American Rejects

I definitely was pleased by my pupil's progress. He was doing better than I expected for a whiny spoiled prince. I could see him becoming worthy enough for me to expend some actual effort into beating him into submission. He had a lot of talent once I got through to his stone-thick skull. I was not worried; breaking rocks was my specialty.

I wondered what my new pupil looked like. When I walked with him, the vibrations told me he was much taller than I was, around the height of that stupid Sokka. He had a strong frame and he walked with a great deal of sadness. He was right-handed and he smelled better than most people in the outside world did. He seemed to take an active interest in hygiene, something I had never bothered to think about. I liked my feet caked with mud and my toes right on the cold stone.

After a short break to eat with Uncle, it was time to return to combat. I had quickly learned that Zuko had an incredible amount of talent once he believed in himself and learned the task correctly. Now my problem was forcing him to maintain that focus long enough to do anything useful.

I was fixing a grueling obstacle course using Earth-bending for my dear pupil. I made sure to put in extra difficulty where I could, because I knew he would love a challenge.

In the meantime, Zuko was practicing sack throws to improve his stances. He was to throw a bag of rocks from behind him before moving forward and catching it. It was an excellent way to give him strength and balance training. I sat back and listened to the rhythm of his breathing and the potency of his deportment. So far, he was making excellent improvement. I was impressed at how much my training was paying off. It was unfortunate his father thought he was a weakling. All he needed was some lessons pounded into him.

I could feel Uncle's footsteps a few feet away as his weight settled down next to mine on my west side. "I picked some berries and there is enough for two," he said, allowing his sleeve to flap a bit so I could find his hand. "So, how is he doing?"

"Thank you," I answered. "Sparky's making definite improvement. He still has a long way to go though on my special training program." I smirked, enjoying the power I held over a prince. Even if he was a banished one, he was still technically royalty and I still could enjoy bossing him around.

"He is a diamond in the rough. He just needs someone to bring the sparkle back into his eyes," Uncle mused, his heart rhythm indicating how much he cared about this boy. "You are right, I do need him. He is the light of my life. There is so much good in him, so much potential for greatness. It's amazing how sweet exile is when those you love are around you," Uncle mused, as we both munched on the sweet fruit. "As the sages say, either companionship or death."

I already had learned to read Uncle's cryptic remarks. I took some to think while yelling for Zuko to take more weights. His stance was perfect and needed to be challenged further. As soon as I felt his footsteps grow more unsteady, I returned to the conversation. "You are asking why I left Aang and his merry gang of sycophants?" I asked.

Uncle laughed, rumbling deeply in his chest. "Well, I was merely reciting a proverb, but if you wish to talk about it, I consider you a member of the family now. You can see Zuko doesn't open up much and I don't dare delve into Azula's mind. I think I would enjoy listening to you," he said, as his weight shifted as he leaned back against a rock.

"Well, I didn't mention to the gang that my parents supplied the Fire nation. I figured the less they knew the better. Well, boomerang boy found a Fire Nation knife and saw my family crest on it. He said my parents were traitors for supporting the Fire Lord," I muttered sadly.

"And what do you say?" Uncle asked, his tone soft and soothing. I could never speak this way to my own father.

"Well, I don't like my parents supplying weapons but no one has the right to insult them. So I told him to shut up. If he insults my parents, he insults me too. His stupid sister told me to calm down. All I did was demand that the non-bender apologize to me for being such an ass and threaten to beat the stuffing out of him if he didn't," I defended myself.

"How noble of you. So continue, my dear," Uncle mused, as I could hear his fingers stroke his beard.

"He demanded that I acknowledge that my parents are 'Fire nation sympathizers'. So I asked him if his mother had ever traded goods with the Fire Nation and if she had, she was just as much of a collaborator as my parents," I explained. "But when I mentioned his mother, Boomerang Boy's stance got really defensive and so did Sugar Queen's. They got furious and started shouting at me, telling me never to mention their mother again."

Uncle sighed. "The Southern Water Tribe was decimated in an attack a few years ago. It's very possible they might have lost their mother in an attack," he explained.

I winced. I wouldn't have used their mother as an example if I knew what might have happened to her. Still, I held my head high. "Then they could have said so instead of shouting about how I was defaming the memory of their mother. So then Twinketoes…that's the Avatar says in this whiny voice that harsh words won't solve this, action will!"

"Well, that sounds like a reasonable response. So what did you do?" Uncle urged as he exhaled loudly.

"I said 'Damn straight' and knocked Boomerang boy into the nearest tree. His sister had the nerve to say I attacked him and demanded that I apologize. I of course refused unless he took back his insults to me."

"Did they call you names?" Uncle asked me as he handed me more berries from his rustling pocket.

" Well, not exactly. They insulted my parents. By insulting them, they insulted me. So I told Aang that if he really were my friend, he'd make them apologize to me. Aang said we should just go swimming in the pond and forget our troubles," I said. I could not believe he thought my anger would go away by a short swim.

"I think he should have offered you all some nice food. That always helps Zuko when he was being cross. A little warmed rhino milk back on his ship and he'd be sleeping like a baby," Uncle said contently, his heart rhythm slowing down happily at fond memories.

"Sorry Uncle, but even your wisdom would not have helped. Anyway, I gave him an ultimatum. I told him that either Boomerang boy apologizes or I leave. He just some pathetic non-bender, I'm the Blind Bandit, his Earth-bending teacher. He refused to make Sokka apologize. So I threw some boulders and left. I was right, wasn't I?"

"You were right to defend your family and your honor. Throwing the boulders may have been a bit childish, Miss Toph, but you got your point across," Uncle said, shifting his weight a bit.

I sighed and mused on his words a bit. "Well, I do feel badly about insulting their dead mother, but they were wrong too. And Aang was the one who suggested using action, right? And he's the Avatar; he should know best. So I was right and they were wrong. Case closed."

Uncle sighed. "Your friends and you had a misunderstanding, Toph. I've lost many friends over the years and I know a silly spat is not worth losing a wonderful relationship over. You hit a raw wound and were too angry to realize it. They hit a sore spot as well and got emotional, too emotional to notice your pain. You left before tempers were cooled."

"So what do you want me to do now? Should I go back and accept their apologies?' I asked, as I shook the pillars, trying to encourage Zuko to be more rock-like. He had to stand firm, no matter how much the world around him quaked. He was getting too comfortable with his stance.

"Well, that is a difficult question, young lady. Do you want me to answer with my heart or with my head?" he asked, as he adjusted his weight worriedly.

"Answer honestly. I prefer honesty," I answered, making sure Zuko was progressing properly. These people were important to me and I would give my all to teach Zuko to defend his uncle.

"Well Toph, my head tells me that you should follow your heart and friendship is not something to take lightly. The Avatar may be mankind's last hope against my brother's tyranny and Zuko's last hope of living to see his next birthday. "

At this, I nodded my head.

"On the other hand, my heart wishes that you should stay with us. My nephew needs you to teach him. Never have I seen such dedication in him than with your teaching. I believe you are the one who will guide him, guide him along farther than I have and help him find his destiny," Uncle said, his voice soft and contemplative. I was silent; somewhat shocked that he had put so much faith in me.

"Things happen for a reason, Toph. Perhaps there is a reason you had that fight with the Avatar and his friends. I believe that everything will work out for the best. Zuko has already progressed so much with your diligence and patience. He is growing right before my eyes," Uncle continued in that same quiet voice. At that moment, I wished with every fiber of my being that I could see Zuko. See him move through the stances. For some reason, I envisioned him Earth Bending rather than Fire bending. He didn't seem like an angry and volatile Firebender. He seemed like a rooted, calm Earth bender.

"Alright, Uncle. I'll stay with you until I feel you will be safe. Besides, Zuko needs me. I couldn't just abandon him. Torturing Aang just isn't as fun," I said, closing my eyes and laying down on the earth. The breeze was warm and I began to feel myself grow drowsy with the heat.

"This is boring! I've done this nearly all morning! Isn't there anything else to your training program?" I heard Zuko whine, letting the bag of rocks fall to the earth. I suddenly was wide-awake.

"Oh, so you think you're some kind of master now, Sparky?" I demanded, standing up and marching over to him. I slammed my foot on the ground and immediately after, I felt his form fall. He groaned a little and I heard him mumble under his breath. "What's that, Prince Mopey? I couldn't hear you!" I taunted, nudging him with my feet. "Come on, get up."

"Can't you see I'm moving? Or feel? Or whatever you do?' Zuko snapped, lifting himself up off the ground and walking away from me, dusting his clothes off. I rolled my eyes and decided not to dignify his remark with comment. Instead I walked over to him and getting into an earth bending stance, I bended the dust off his body. He stopped the furious flapping of his arms and kind of mumbled a thank you as he walked past me.

Humph. Some appreciation.

"Uncle, when is lunch?" he barked over to the old man. Uncle invited Zuko to come over and eat some of the berries and root vegetables we had gathered earlier that morning.

"These mushrooms are delicious, Zuko. You really must try some," Uncle said. Zuko sat down on the ground next to him and poured himself a glass of tea. I sat down next to uncle as well, and I turned to Mopey's voice.

"So, you thought that training was boring?" I asked quietly, as I debated pelting him with some stones. That always seemed to help the situation.

"Yes! You had me doing the same thing over and over all morning. It wasn't that hard to do, Toph," he snapped as he munched on some berries. I raised an eyebrow at him and kind of chuckled. He had no idea what was coming for him.

"Well, don't worry, Sparky. After this lunch, we're going to the obstacle course." I said as I sipped tea quietly. Now it was Zuko's turn to snort.

"The obstacle course? What's that?" he asked.

"Hell," I answered bluntly. Zuko shifted his weight a little and from that simple movement I sensed that he was afraid. Well, good. He should be. I had to admit that I was proud to see that he wasn't visibly quaking. He was taking fear the way a man should: silent and strong. Twinkle-toes would have wet his pants.

After finishing the rest of our lunch in silence, I stood up and lead Zuko over to where the obstacle course was.

"This is it?" he asked skeptically, looking around us. True there wasn't much here to him, just some rocks, and a few scattered trees. Nevertheless, to me, it was a wellspring of resources to use for Zuko's training.

"Yep, this is it, Mopey. Now get out there and we'll begin." I commanded pointing at the course. I heard him move over to the center of it.

"What are we doing, exactly?" he called over to me. I had to smirk a little at his innocence.

"It's easy, Sparky. I'm going to pelt rocks at you again. Only this time you're not going to have your swords. Or the blindfold. The only condition: You can't move at all. Where you stand is where you'll stay. You can change your direction, but the moment you move your feet you're out. Got it?" I called over to him, summoning some rocks me. He adjusted his stance and I felt him take a large, meditative breath in. He put his hands up in ready position and I took this as my cue to throw the first rock at him.

I launched a few at him and he easily blocked them by throwing larger fireballs at them. I started to throw large boulders at him and I could tell this was a little more of a challenge. Good, this was what he needed.

"You've got it, Sparky! Now let's see if you can handle this!" I said, as I lifted a particularly large boulder over my head and hurled it at him.

"What are you thinking!" he demanded as I felt him begin to back up hurriedly, hands still at the ready but barely up.

"What are **_you_** thinking! I told you not to move! You can't run away from things that are bigger than you are! Even if they seem impossible, you don't run away! Now plant those feet and let me see the power of fire bending!" I bellowed, not doing anything to stop the rock.

"There's no way I can stop that! It's huge!" he said, although he had stopped moving. I couldn't tell if it was because he chose to destroy the boulder or if he was just too scared to move.

"Listen, Mopey. I'm not out to kill you. I'd lose my job and Uncle's trust if I did that. But you have to be ready for anything; you said so yourself. Firebitch and her lackeys want you dead and they won't stop at nothing to make sure of that. So you have to fight, even if you're afraid! Fight for your throne! Fight for your honor! Show that bitch what you're made of!" I continued to encourage him. Well, I don't know if encouragement is the right word. I suppose the right word was browbeating. Either way, he did finally raise his hands again and I felt a renewed sense of strength in him.

'I'm going to have to fight this out like a Firebender, not an Earthbender," Zuko called over to me. I felt his stance change and he was resting his weight on the balls of his feet, ready to spring at the right moment. I couldn't track the boulder because it was in the air, but I knew that it was rapidly approaching Zuko because of the added weight on his feet. Finally, I felt him leave the earth completely and give out a loud yell as he unleashed a devastating attack, similar to the one he used to scare away that animal. Shards of the rock were thrown into the earth and I had to admit, I was on my guard. I didn't want to be hit with one of them.

Zuko was panting and sitting on the ground, he head between his knees. I didn't know what to say. All I knew was that I was overjoyed. He had faced his fear. He had faced it and completely demolished it. I could have taken all the credit if I wanted to, but I didn't. I knew that this was all Zuko. He was able to find strength in himself even when he was afraid. Yes, now I could see him truly as a prince. An honorable and strong prince. A prince who had at last proven himself a warrior. I supposed I was just getting a bit light-headed from all the activities. He was just some annoying kid attached to my friend Uncle. "Very nice," I said, praising generously.

Zuko was still panting. "Soon…it will…my…turn," he wheezed, before stopping to catch his breath. "And I am going to give back everything you dished out."

Although I could not see the smirk on his face, I could hear it. He still had some fight in him and I was eager to keep testing his mettle and proving my own. Fire style sounded deadly and useful, just the way I liked anything. "I'm ready when you are."

_Please read and review!_

_Next chapter (which will come faster): An enemy attacks and a plan is formed. More training, more friendship, and more action is on the way!_


	5. Make a Man out of you

All right, time for another chapter. I've been working hard on this story and I am excited to keep writing. Alas, this and my parent's upcoming re-marriage and college is putting Downfall on the back burner, but don't worry, the big finish will come and rock you all. Now back here, we get some action, some new information and kicking of butts. Warning for some language and a few innuendos, plus some violence. Some old friends of Iroh catch up with him. Also, I am resubmitting chapter 2 for artistic reasons. So please check it out again. And also, check out Kara No by Kishi. He helped me with the fight scenes (wrote some nice parts for me) and special thanks to him. A good story that needs more reviews. Dedicated to Jonnada and J.L., my trinity of Toko as well as kissingoff who was another martial arts advisor. What would I do without you guys?

"I'll make a Man out of You" 

Tranquil as a forest  
But on fire within  
Once you find your center  
you are sure to win  
---Mulan

"Harder, Sparky. I want to see more effort," came my daily morning wake up call. The last nine days, I had been awoken by the sounds of my two angry little wards teaching each other past their limits. They always got up at the crack of dawn, Toph urging her pupil through mazes of stone and training regiments designed to make him more "rooted."

I had never thought I would see the day when my proud nephew had consented to carry stones around for strength training or allow himself to be blindfolded and forced to stand in one place and take an assault of stones from a child half his size.

The results were astounding. I had noticed the vast improvement in my nephew. When we trained together, he was grasping the maneuvers much faster. His confidence had grown immensely. Better still, he was sleeping properly and his appetite had grown. He was definitely blooming under Toph's care. Still, I wondered if it was worth the loss of my rest.

The lush verdant forest we used as a shelter and the clearing we used as a school had become a home to me. I was happier than I had ever been. We had roots and berries for food, fresh water for drinking and peaceful safety. What more could I ask for?

This morning, I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes to see Toph assuming her rock armor for Zuko to practice close combat. As he practiced the punches and kicks, I tried not to burst with pride at the sight of my fierce little nephew. Perhaps I just was bursting because of a full bladder. Old men at my age had needs.

After attending to my personal matters, I began picking some roots, berries, and nuts to combine with the last of the corn meal to make a rich porridge for my two little warriors. I took some of the firewood Zuko had cut for me last night. Lucky for me, I didn't need help to build the fire. As I stirred the copper pot Zuko had stolen for us, I felt very domestic. I had found some honey the previous day, which I planned to keep to sweeten more bitter occasions.

How I would provide my children any more meals would be a problem. I supposed I could beg for coins or have Zuko steal some supplies. Neither solution seemed appealing but I had a few hours to consider it. "Breakfast time. There will be no leftovers," I called, knowing that was the only way to get them back from training.

"You need to work on keeping your head in a fight. You are fine till I start with the insults and then you fall to pieces," Toph snapped to Zuko as the weary pair trudged back. Although it was only mid-morning, both were dripping with sweat. "And would you stop telling me to learn to punch?"

"Well, perhaps if you'd let me teach you Fire-bending style, you would see how powerful it really is. I thought you wanted to learn, not complain" Zuko snapped, as he brushed the sweat off his brow.

Toph shook her head. "Earth style is much more useful. Sorry, but I don't think Fire has anything to teach me," she said stubbornly as she sat down on the loamy earth floor on a pile of leaves. "I don't know how the Fire Nation is managing to rule the world when your style is so wimpy."

"Apparently, we aren't doing that bad. I keep telling you, you can't always rely on bending. Your stance is too wide," Zuko snapped, repeating the same argument we had yesterday. "In fire bending, you use shorter stances. I'm trying to teach you to use your arms and legs as weapons instead of relying on just bending the ground,"

"I had to fix your stances. Don't you lecture me about fighting. I'm the Earth Rumble champion," Toph fired back. The young lady proved to be as stubborn as her element.

I could see where the problem lay. Zuko had tried to demonstrate some of the basics, but Toph had trouble with the short stances. She was not used to having her feet be closer together and her balance kept wavering due to her constant training in a wide stance. "Wait for the enemy to come close and then meet it head-on," Zuko instructed repeatedly.

Toph was too impatient, intercepting the attack instead of attacking on her own. She was a long-range fighter, to protect herself. She used the earth to block her opponents before they ever get close enough to touch her. It was not a wise thing to rely completely on bending. My wife in her prime had the ability to block chi points and reduce powerful benders to heaps of bones on the grounds. Still, I was here to protect her. "Why do I need to learn such a stupid form? I was wrong about Fire bending, it's completely useless."

At that, I coughed. "Sorry Uncle. What I meant was, with Earth-bending, no one could even can get near me. First, you need to become a worthwhile student, then you can be a teacher. You still have to learn how to feel the earth so you can smash your sister," Toph reminded, her tone peppery.

"Nothing is going to help me defeat Azula. She's a prodigy, she's always done everything right. She was better in school, better at bending, better at being royal. She's just born lucky," my nephew mumbled miserably, as I reached for the waterskin. I wished I could have hugged him but that would have resulted in the boy being humiliated. He was too much like his father, too prickly for his own good.

"Stop bitching about the bitch. So she's lucky? She's also a deranged sadist who needs to be taken down. Right, Uncle?" Toph chirped, as she practiced pounding her fists into rocks. Her hair was covering her blank eyes and for a moment, I wondered how blind that strange young lady was. She saw my nephew more clearly than I ever could.

"Yes. Ozai has stolen my place and your sister cannot be allowed to steal your birthright. She may be our flesh, but she is also our enemy," I said, my voice shaking with sadness. I felt nauseous inside. Azula was my niece. I should be spoiling her with gifts, not plotting to destroy her. I remembered her as a tiny baby, so cute and plump. It had been spoken of betrothing my beloved Lu-Ten and my niece together, to ally the two branches of the royal family.

Now she was the source of a lot of my pain. Despite the fact that she was one of the few relatives I had left, I could not love or protect the insane little monster she had become. Blessed with every gift-beauty, talent, and intelligence, she had abused everyone around her. My shoulder still ached from the lightning bolt she had thrown at me.

That did not hurt me as much as when I looked over the form of my nephew. My life meant less to me without my beloved son by my side. Yet, I know Azula had stolen my nephew's joy and hope, had shattered his dreams, and only sought to crush him. That could not be forgiven.

"Impossible," Zuko muttered. His eyes were so dejected and frightened. He still was filled with so much self-doubt. He was so fragile, so broken. I was afraid his spirit would shatter beneath my hands.

"Impossible because you won't do it, or impossible because you think you can't beat her?" Toph asked, as she continued practicing.

"First, she's a fire bending prodigy and her martial arts skills are without match. Second, well…we'll work on the first problem for now," Zuko muttered, staring at the ground. I sighed and bit my tongue. I understood his helplessness.

"Everyone has a weakness, Zuko. She still eats, drinks and sleeps just like us flawed ones. Wow, that is not a bad idea. Maybe we could poison her," Toph suggested, her lips twisted in a sadistic grin. I was suddenly glad she was on our side. The young lady was a frightening enemy herself.

"Wonderful idea. But how would we get close enough to tempt Azula with the fatal brew?" I queried, drinking a sip of tea delicately.

"Perhaps we could have Zuko make the tea for her. That would do it," Toph mused, as she flexed her fingers. I shuddered inwardly at the mere thought of my nephew's attempt at food preparation. I loved the boy dearly and knew he had talent in healing, sword fighting, and many other skills, but cooking was the one area I could say he was truly retarded in. His heart was in it, but his talent lay elsewhere.

Zuko gave her a glare. "My tea is delicious," he mumbled angrily as he poured himself a cup of water and drank it down greedily. Toph and he had definitely had a workout, pushing each other to their limits. It was wonderful to see fire returning to Zuko's eyes.

"Keep believing that, kiddo. Not that the bitch deserves better, but sadly enough death by tea is not going to work, even if Sparky's cooking is a fate worse then torture," Toph muttered darkly. Truer words were never spoken.

"No one asked you to have some," Zuko sniffed, as he picked as his food. "You are free to cook the next meal if you think you can do so much better. Isn't that right, Uncle?"

"Well, I have to admit after his cooking, I need a good glass of sake. I just have to be careful not to drink too much, fire benders and alcohol do not get along," I laughed. Ahhh, the good times when I was young and the spicy female at my side would be older and more buxom. I had consumed far too many pints and ended up in too many seedy areas half-naked.

"What happens?" Toph asked softly, as she yawned lazily. I remembered that she was only a little girl and needed her rest. She made me feel so paternal. A depressed young teenager and an angry young child were now my children. Father always said children were unexpected things. If he only knew how right he was!

"Well, alcohol makes our fire into liquid form, which makes it impossible for us to control. It can get painful, if you know what I mean," I explained sagely, as I continued eating my food. Years of carousing and one too many nights of drinking contests with Jeong-Jeong had taught me that all too well.

Toph rubbed her hands together food in a gesture that reminded me of winning a game of Pai Sho. "Yes…Firebenders and sake don't mix at all. Sparky, I think I have found the answer to your question," she said softly, as she crushed a rock beneath her foot.

"I am glad to hear it. Care to share your secret, Miss Toph" I asked, hiding my concern. This discussion was starting to worry me. This operation would require me to risk my precious nephew, the last person I had in the world. I forced myself to remain calm. I would have plenty of time to wrestle the issue once I had all of the information.

"This would be easier if Sugar Queen was here, but we'll have to improvise. We will have to buy some sake in earthen jars. When the Fire bitch returns, she'll get a taste of her own medicine."

Zuko lowered his head. His eyes had grown narrow again, a sure sign he was feeling stubborn, headstrong and confused. "We have no money for food or medicine. How will we afford sake?" he asked softly, his voice low. In the sunlight, he looked so much like Ozai. I had failed my little brother by ignoring him. I would not fail his son.

Toph laughed heartily. "Money is no issue. I have five hundred gold coins in my pouch. I magnetized them together so they don't jingle or bounce," she said, opening her pack and showing off a pile of currency.

"You could have told this to us sooner," Zuko growled, looking very annoyed at the sight of the money, most likely reminding him of the luxury he had once enjoyed.

"Who said I am going to share with you, Mopey? I am not sure if you've earned any reward yet," Toph said, lobbing a stone at Zuko, who caught it instantly without even looking in her direction. "All right, maybe you do deserve a reward. I have to admit, I like roughing it with you fine folks."

"You like living out here in the woods like animals?" Zuko demanded, glaring at her with a look of horror.

"Sure. No walls to close me in, just sleeping beneath the sky with a comfortable layer of stone under me. But I suppose we could make our trip to town somewhat more…mundane. I'll treat Uncle and you to the finest roast duck, ginseng tea and feather beds at an inn of your choice," she said with a genuinely warm smile. "Some travelers are coming this way anyway, so we'd best move on."

"Miss Toph, I believe that is the best news I've had in many years. A woman who provides me with food, shelter and is willing to take care of my foster child. I think I have found the perfect woman. Toph, would you do me the honor of marrying me? I can offer you…freedom since I have no home and…erm….all the stones I can carry," I said softly, my eyes twinkling with merriment.

Toph laughed heartily. "Well, you present a tempting offer. What do you think of it, Sparky? I could be your new auntie Toph. I'll make you clean your room, and if you complain, I'll simply turn you over my knee and give you a pounding. We could make one happy family," she said, smiling sadistically.

Zuko rose to his feet. "I don't find anything funny about this," he sneered, growling with fury. He truly hated being teased, too many reminders of his cruel little sister. He had once laughed so easily.

"That's your problem. This really is funny. Laugh sometime, Mopey. You'll live longer," Toph retorted.

"I see nothing worth laughing at, Toph. If you'll excuse me," Zuko postured, clearly in a prickly mood.

"We better go, the travelers are coming closer. And lighten up. Don't make me have to hold you down and tickle you," Toph threatened, continuing to giggle

"I'd like to see you try," Zuko snapped angrily, his chin raised high. "I won't go down without a fight."

"Is that a challenge? If so, I accept," Toph said happily, as we packed up supplies to get away. "I think you might even be worth my time now," she continued.

To my surprise, Zuko's growl turned into an eager smile. "Care to continue sparring?" he offered. Over the past three years, I had tried everything to cheer my nephew up. Yet, I could see that my paternal approach paled in comparison to the little blind girl before me.

"Nothing would please me more," Toph responded, her face shining with joy. This is how siblings should act towards each other. With a sigh of thanks, I quietly thanked Agni for sending Toph into my family. Maybe things were finally looking up.

"You two can spar after we visit a bathhouse, have some dinner and I have a delicious nap. Age before beauty, Miss Toph," I said softly, as a distant rumble turned in the distance.

"No one is going anywhere," said a cold voice, as I. I recognized that voice all too easily. Colonel Mongke and his Rough Rhinos, Ozai's personal bullies and enforcers coming out to greet us. How nice.

"Why my old lieutenant, come out to see his old master? Please, you and your friends must join us for a cup of tea," I said, watching Zuko and Toph go back to back, arms ready to do some damage. "Everyone calm down. We are all friends here."

"We aren't here to chat, Iroh. You are all under arrest," Mongke snapped, reinforcing my belief that I should have allowed more use of the lash on new recruits. Perhaps it would have removed the bad from him.

Still, my two wards and I were surrounded by five powerful enemies. Besides the feather-headed fire bender Mongke, we had the Yu-Yan archer Yeh-Lu whose eye rived a hawk. Next to him was Ogodei who had paid with his proficiency with explosives with massive scars to his face. Rounding out the team was Captain Vachir who relied on his brute strength to commit acts of bullying and the balding but still strong Lieutenant Kachee, who had great talents in hand to hand combat, but augmented it with Guan Dao. A fearsome lot, indeed.

"Is that any way to treat an old friend? Please, have some tea with us. I can offer you some rose-hip tea, very healthy for soldiers," I said, trying to buy some time.

"So this is what remains of the fearsome Dragon of the West. A pitiful old tea-drinking man, playing nursemaid to pathetic little traitor and some earth peasant. To think I once respected you," Mongke sneered. Yes, I really should have punished him more or hung from the ramparts. Pity.

"Well, don't worry about losing respect for me. I never respected you," I said softly. To think these honor-less thugs represented my proud nation. Pitiful.

"You are all coming with us. The boy has a block and ax waiting for him by order of Daddy dearest," Mongke mocked. "But don't worry; you'll be right with him."

I tensed at the threat to my beloved nephew, but before I could answer, the ground around me started quaking. "NOT Happening!" came a scream of pure fury as fault lines appeared in the earth. The poor confused rhinos stomped around quite terrified as stones left up from the earth and started pelting them. "You won't touch them!" Toph shouted as she raised her arms. With a mighty gesture, she brought them down trapping four of the rhinos in the ground. Everyone but Ogodei was forced off their mounts, losing a key advantage. The bomb-master ran back into the bushes, obviously retreating for a tactical advantage.

Colonel Mongke was sending balls of fire at her, but Toph had far better defenses. She had put up a wall of earth between herself and the feathered fool, who was completely doomed. The moment his feet touched the ground, he was under attack by the earth itself. Fireball after flaming spark flew harmlessly past its target as Toph rattled the ground under his feet, knocking him off balance. She was also returning fire, with huge boulders flying around.

Zuko was right behind her, moving quicker than I had ever seen him. He had already brought out his broadswords and was fighting Kachee's Guan Dao. He parried easily with a swift movement, evading the thrusts easily. With a quick turn, he sliced off the spearhead by trapping them between the two blades and cutting off the blade. With another fierce knock, the point had been knocked away. Before the Kachee was able to respond, Zuko ducked to the ground and knocked the man to the ground. Kachee didn't waste a moment. He leapt from his saddle and held his hands out. His eyes watched the flashing Dao blades warily. Zuko kept himself guarded, one blade high, and the other at the middle, ready to cut.

I knew, from watching them that it would have to be decided in a single move. Zuko had only to twitch if Kachee got in close enough, and the man's head would roll.

And then it happened. Kachee exploded forward, his sidekick devouring the distance in a blink. Zuko flew back from the impact, his swords dropping. Kachee kept up his advance. He punched - and was stopped cold. Zuko's blades were at his arm and neck. A well-placed kick to the kneecap had the man howling in pain, followed by a whack over the head with the flat of the blade. That's my boy!

A whoosh of flaming arrow from Yeh-Lu tried to rescue Mongke. Toph recoiled sharply, and put up another wall of earth. I was about to step in, but Zuko was a bit faster. With a flick of his wrist, he threw a fire dart, sizzling through the bow with ease. "Now, Toph," he called. Chunks of stone flew from Toph's stone fortress at the archer, knocking him flat. Another wave of her hand and the Yuu Yan was now buried up to his neck.

From the back, I could hear Vachir's ball and chain rattle through the air, announcing its arrival. I slammed the ball away and with a fierce thrust, grabbed the hard metal chain. I heated my hands, scorching the metal to a red-hot temperature. With a scream, Vachir dropped his weapon, trying to treat his seared palm. Another fireball knocked him to the ground as well. Toph quickly motioned for the ground beneath to gulp down the fourth Rough Rider.

I turned around to see Ogodei hurl a couple of his bombs. I quickly punched, letting flames consume them before they could do any damage. Suddenly, the earth beneath his rhino erupted, sending rider and ridden both tumbling. Ogodei managed to get clear of his beast and stand again. The poor frightened animal had already bolted into the back woods and most likely would not return.

He cocked his arm back to throw another bomb when a finger of earth poked out of nowhere. Ogodei was caught in the middle and flew into the tender embrace of the tree waiting for him. I looked at Toph - the girl had a very smug look on her face.

"Now what?" Zuko asked, breathing heavily.

"Now, we enjoy our victory. You did well," Toph said, giving a radiant smile. "I'm a great teacher. And I didn't need to punch."

"I'll praise you later. First, would you please free those poor animals?" he demanded. Toph sunk the last of the riders up to their neck in dirt, hardening the earth around them into hard prisons of stone. Zuko knelt by the frightened beasts and stroked their snouts, whispering kind words. "One at a time."

"Never would take you for an animal lover," Toph sniffed, as she dusted herself off and released the first anxious animal. "It suits you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zuko demanded, looking up angrily as he soothed the first beast. I sighed; these two just had no idea how to communicate normally.

"Being kind to animals is a sign of wisdom and mercy, Zuko. That's what you meant, right, Toph?" I asked, stepping in to assist with the care of the animals.

Toph nodded and released the others slowly. "Yeah, don't take everything personally, Sparky," she said softly.

Zuko did respond; too busy gently pacifying the rhinos. It took a struggle, but Zuko had always had a gift for animals. He had gifts in many things, if Ozai had only taken the chance to see them. Toph smiled to herself as she watched Zuko tend to his new pets. Finally, after offering them some water and a place to graze, Zuko tied their harnesses together. "At least we have transport," he muttered.

"You'll still have transport to the block," a voice rang out from behind us. We turned to see our prisoners awake. "The princess is coming for you, traitors." Mongke snapped, the only speaker out of the five heads sticking out of the ground like cabbages. "You won't escape her. And the little blind fugitive will be hers too. You will all fall."

"Over your dead body," Toph sneered, looking extremely fierce. She brought her hands together, squeezing him harder until he cried out. "You'll never bring me back and you are not going to hurt my friends!"

I sighed, witnessing the dark side to the delightful little girl. She had anger boiling inside her as well, what a pair she made with my nephew. "Toph, we should get going. I suggest a victory banquet…on you, of course."

"First, they pay for threatening us," Toph said confidently, her pale eyes staring off into nothingness, looking past reason and me.

"We've humiliated them, Toph. We won," Zuko said, giving Kachee a swift kick. "They are helpless, buried up to their necks to their own dishonor. We can alert the town's soldiers to deal with them, if you want. There aren't worth our effort anymore."

Toph smirked down in blind wrath. "This guy is your prince. You disrespected him and now you are going to pay. General, give me the honey," she said haughtily.

I sighed and handed over my precious stash. "Must you? It sweetens tea so well," I mourned.

"I'll buy you plenty in a bit. But first…" Toph said sweetly, as she generously wasted my honey over the heads of my former compatriots. "This will attract fire ants, who love honey," she explained. "All those horrible creepy crawlies climbing all off you, each taking a tiny little bite. Enjoy," Toph said. "Let's move out."

As Zuko mounted the rhino with Toph holding on to his waist and I mounted the other, I looked back at the row of five heads, writhing in pain as fire ants tormented them. I reminded myself that Toph was a very dangerous young woman, perfect balance for the other deadly women in my life. I just prayed Zuko or I always kept on her good side.

Be a man  
We must be swift as the coursing river  
With all the force of a great typhoon  
With all the strength of a raging fire  
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon  
----Mulan

AN-Next chapter, the gang goes to town. Zuko and Toph both discover something new about themselves.


	6. Ready for the Storm

Special thanks to Kishi for helping with the fight scene and Spleef for beta-ing this (Zutara is the enemy but if you want a walk on the dark side, read her work). Okay, Zuko and his merry escorts head off to town, where they learn a bit more about themselves. Warnings for a slightly sexual situation, some cursing and some Zuko/Toph platonic bonding! Hope you enjoy! Reviews make me post faster. Dedicated to Scarylady, my favorite e-pal!

Ready for the Storm

The distance it is no real friend  
And time will take its time  
And you will find that in the end  
It brings you me—Don McLean

The hot sun had already begun its descent from the midpoint of the azure sky and was sinking into afternoon. We were following a trail through the woods to get to the town of Kitsu. The shade felt nice after the battle, but I was more looking forward to the slight upswing in fortune.

The Rough Rhinos were screaming their heads on at being eaten alive by the Fire Ants. I wasn't happy about leaving them there to suffer, but Toph had reminded me we had no choice. They would turn us over to Azula without mercy. I couldn't afford to have any. My uncle was more important than their lives.

We now had four rhinos of our own, bridles tied together to form a line. If we sold them, we'd have enough money to keep going for some time. I was riding the ostrich-horse and my two companions were riding together one of the new merchandise. Toph had been hesitant to ride alone and Uncle, seeing her fear had asked if she'd ride with him and keep him company. We lumbered together in silence through the thick green brush.

My uncle was far too protective of the girl, something I know I was guilty of as well. She was almost like the sister I wish Azula wereI would not have minded her being a prodigy and having everything go her way, if she had only treated me as a sibling and not a chew-toy.

Toph may have been a prodigy herself and seemed to live to drive me crazy, but we were not enemies. I supposed we could be called allies…or friends. I would have preferred to think of them as my retinue, the perfect escort for a fugitive of royal blood. "If we wish to be safe, we must have a set story," I finally said as I guided our new caravan along the leafy forest.

"Okay. My name is the Blind Bandit. I'm a professional prize fighter and you are my assistants," Toph chirped, sitting contently in Iroh's lap like a spoiled pet cat. If she hadn't have given me some of the money for expenses, I would have shooed her off.

"I will ignore that comment. We are trying to maintain our cover. I've thought of one already. We are brother and sister. Uncle, you are now our father," I explained, trying to maintain control.

"Wow, you finally see that. Maybe there is some brains in you after all," Toph snickered as she held down to Uncle for dear life.

"What are you talking about?" I glared at her. Why was I constantly plagued by females? "I'm trying to save our lives and throw bounty hunters off the trail so just learn to play along. Got it?" I demanded through gritted teeth.

"Yes, Brother. I got it. Are you always so bossy?" Toph said airily. "I don't need protection. That's my job."

I lived only to protect my uncle and I suppose now I had to defend Toph. Toph said she was here to protect Uncle and I. Deep in my heart, I know Uncle was taking care of Toph and I. all of us trying to help each other. This was what family was supposed to be like.

"Yeah yeah. Let's go to the marketplace and sell the merchandise," I said to hide my musings.

"Um…Hanzo, it might be wise to let your father do the selling and have some filial piety," Toph reminded me. I winced again. Despite that being the role I had assigned my uncle, I hated the word Father more than anything in the world. I would die for my father's love and that seemed to be not enough. I showed him loyalty and he banished me and put out a price for my life. I had to keep believing that as soon as I brought back the Avatar, I'd be finally loved. I knew that my father's word was law, was Agni's word on earth. If I could not earn back that love, I was truly unworthy.

We finally reached the bustling town. Large plastered houses loomed over us and busy sellers shouted their wares. The streets were filled with children underfoot and mothers squawkingfor them to return. It was larger than the other towns I had seen, with more people walking around. That was good, made it easier for us to blend in.

Uncle asked for the animal market from an attractive young lady, who giggled nervously as my sixty year old uncle flirted with her. My late Aunt Lien would have pounded him into the earth for even looking at another female. After the incident with Jun, I was surprised Aunt's angry spirit didn't come to him by night, take him by the throat, and choke the lights out of him. Okay, I was surprised but grateful. I did need him.

We reached the teeming markets. I was mildly pleased to have actual supplies to trade and barter. It still annoyed me that I even had to stoop to such depth, as royalty, I should have everything handed to me. I supposed engaging in trading from conquest was honorable enough.

"You've got a nice set here," a burly peasant said, approaching us with a heavy sack. "Haven't seen Rhinos this far south. You are from around, friend?" The rogue should be on his knees to princes of the blood royal.

"Just some humble refugees, trying to search Ba Xing Xe. Ah, yes, very fine rhinos. We came across the remnants of an abandoned Fire Nation camp and took some of the supplies to sell," Uncle said, bowing slightly.

"Anything taken from those war-mongers is fair game. You deserve the good luck, you all look like you've had a hard time," the farmer replied, putting down his sack and wiping his hands on his already soiled clothing. "Are you selling the beasts?"

"Yes, we are. My children and I only require one beast. Take first choice," Uncle offered magnanimously.

"I think I will. By the way, I'm Baraz. What did you all say your names are?" the yokel said, examining the nearest beast.

"I am Shaya of the Luri Clan. This is my daughter, Hanabi and my son, Hanzo. Children, say hello," Uncle directed, putting a hand on each of our heads. Toph nodded in his direction and I followed suit, cursing under my breath. "Hanzo, help the man with his sack."

"What?" I asked, wondering if my deranged uncle had succumbed to senility. If he thought I was going to get off my perch for some peasant, he had a long wait.

"Are you heard of hearing, boy? Your father just gave you an order and I don't see you obeying," Baraz snapped, giving me a look of disdain. "You aren't too old for a proper dose of the belt."

I leapt off the rhino. "I'd like to see you try," I snapped furiously, clenching my fists at my sides. How dare this peasant judge me? I suffered enough for filial disobedience; some ignorant dirt farmer would not dare lecture me.

I felt a hand on my shoulder, squeezing it rather hard. "Calm yourself, Hanzo. You will have to forgive my son. He lost his mother and he became…a bit unmanageable," Uncle said in a firm tone. "He's still grieving."

Truer words had never been spoken. Losing my mother had been one of the most devastating times of my life. Even hearing the word mother was enough to put a bitter taste in my mouth. Still, I refused to blame all my problems on the loss of the sweet hand that usually guided me.

Baraz spat on the ground, only lowering my opinion of him." I suppose it isn't easy for a young man to lose his mother. My condolences on the loss of your wife, Shaya. I suppose that's how he got that scar? But don't coddle him too much. Boys that age are like cattle, they need a firm hand."

"I'm no boy. I'm a man," I snapped angrily, furious at the mere mention of my scar. This guy was starting to anger me. "Give me a weapon and I'll be happy to prove it."

"Hanzo, shut it," Toph snapped, a warning look in her blank eyes. I had one annoying sister, I didn't need two! Still, I was not about to lose my temper and embarrass myself in front of Toph. Unlike Uncle, she would make me pay for it later. I did not need to do deep knee bends for hours again.

"I apologize…sir," I spat furiously, bowing my head slightly. This girl was having too much influence on me.

"Good to hear. I accept your apology, boy. Learn to control that temper of yours, it won't bring your mother back. You are lucky to have so much of your family still left. Most people aren't so fortunate to survive Ozai's wrath with a father and a sister," that yokel said in what his small brain must have assumed was a comforting tone. Nothing would bring my mother back, and the wrath of Ozai consisted of a father and sister.

"We've had a long journey, Baraz. We could all use a rest. Perhaps you can point in the direction of a nice inn," Uncle said, trying to change the subject.

"Mera's inn has a fine inn. It used to be an airbender temple, so it still has the hot springs and the sand gardens. A bit pricy but the food is well worth it. Down that road, last place on the right. It's a few buildings with a large white sign," Baraz explained as he continued walking along.

"Sounds excellent. Hanabi, Hanzo, why don't you get a room for us. I'll finish with the bargaining and meet you there," Uncle said, his voice jovial. I could hear the note of disappointment in his voice. He was not pleased with my behavior. I just tried to pretend it did not bother me, but it hurt.

"If you want to sell your beasts, Shaya, I know many of the farmers here could use fresh mounts. The Earth kingdom commandeered most of our animals for the war. I can't promise top coin but I can assure you you'll get a fair value," Baraz said, slapping Uncle on the back. "And then we should grab a drink."

Uncle detached the ostrich horse from the group and helped Toph off the rhino. "Take this with you. And what a fine idea, a drink should be lovely," he said, as he lead the rest of the team off with his new friend.

As soon as the two figures walked away, Toph turned her blank eyes on me. "You really screwed up. Are you stupid? Do I need to gag you?" she demanded.

"Just drop it. I'm tired," I snapped as I led the ostrich horse along the bustling street, following the yokel's instructions. Everyone was too busy buying and selling to even notice us. Everyone had a place, but the outcast.

Toph shrugged. "So animal-guy, what's the ostrich-horse's name?" she asked, walking next to me.

"She doesn't have a name," I muttered, feeling my head start to throb again. I had too much on my mind.

"Is she the only woman in your life right now?" Toph snickered, her feet kicking up lots of dust. She cocked her ears, clearly enjoying herself.

"No, you are the woman in my life right now," I snapped back, as I wondered how I could be saddled with such an ornery female. Wives should be quiet and obedient, like my mother had been. "And the ostrich-horse's name is Sheyva, all right." That seemed to shut her up, which allowed me to find the inn.

It was a square of stone buildings, elegantly cared for. A young maidservant was sweeping the pathway, her long black plait swinging in the wind. Her plain hemp robe was patched and ragged. She reminded me of the servants in the palace, poor and hungry. I never would have noticed her before, but now I knew what it was to lack food and opportunity. I reached into my pocket and took out a gold piece, dropping it at the girl's feet as I passed.

From the corner of my eye, I saw the girl pick it up. She opened her mouth to protest but I waved my hand to indicate no. She flashed me a smile and for a moment, I felt whole again.

"I felt that," Toph said softly, but something else caught my ear. The people inside were singing a song. My heart vibrated nervously in my chest as I heard the lyrics.

_The Spirit climbed up the wall, eyes like a pyre  
Blue Spirit climbed down the wall, raising such ire  
The Spirit will bring fear to hearts of fire  
Here's to Ozai and the Spirit Sapphire_

How could they have known my identity? It was impossible, I had always taken such care to hide my tracks! Wait…they were praising him…me…us!

_Come like a plague, Spirit of Sapphire_

_Come like a vengeance, Spirit of Sapphire_

_Teach them well, be their flesh brier_

_Off with the chains, Spirit of Sapphire_

They had adopted my alter ego as some kind of folk hero, to a rather excellent song, with exceptional percussion. I especially enjoyed everyone clapping for us. If I had my songi-horn, I would have happily joined in. I had some musical talent, but of course, music was beneath a prince's dignity. Unconsciously, I was tapping my foot to the song, something I quickly put a stop to.

_The spirit broke in and out, quick as lightning flash_

_The Spirit stole the Avatar, his swords a blinding flash_

_To see him hang is the Fire Lord's desire_

_Give a good laugh, Spirit of Sapphire_

_Come like a rain cloud, Spirit of Sapphire_

_Come like a hail storm, Spirit of Sapphire_

_Defend our lands, leave our eyes drier_

Give us back hope, Spirit of Sapphire

I inwardly winced at the words, "to see him hang." It was still painful for me to admit my own father would love to break my neck.

_The spirit has laughed at the Fire Nation liar_

_The Spirit has climbed on the Fire Nation spire_

_His eyes do not sleep, his hands never tire_

_He is our hero, the Spirit of sapphire_

I remembered what happened when the people in Lee's town had found out who their hero really was, a Fire Prince. What had they called me? An outcast? A liar? No matter, the end result was I had been run out of town and barely escaped with my life, though I had earned myself the hatred of a little boy.

_Come like the spring rain, Spirit of Sapphire_

_Come like a new dawn, Spirit of Sapphire_

_You raise our hopes higher, you truly inspire_

_You are our savior, Spirit of Sapphire_

I had to have a twelve year old teach me to fight. I was the shame of the entire Royal family. This song was beginning to annoy me. I was glad I had tarnished the reputation by resorting to stealing, though obviously no one had heard about that yet. I was no traitor to my father, no matter what anyone said.

_You raise our hopes higher, you truly inspire_

_Here's to Ozai and the Spirit of Sapphire_

I tied the ostrich horse to the corral and gave it a reassuring pat. We then removed our shoes and walked into the tatami-matted receiving room. Tables were scattered along the edges, with patrons sitting about. It seemed to be a family establishment, as mothers and children had joined in. A young girl with large green eyes was playing the biwa, accompanying a teenager on the taiko drums. The patrons inside the room were healthy and plump, they didn't look like the servant in the front door. They were upper-class travelers. I was dusty and dirty, I could see the way they lifted their noses in my direction. My birthright should have demanded they kiss the ground beneath my toes. Happily, the musicians were now leading the patrons in another song, about the Mountain Spirit El and her romance with the Sun God Agni.

"We need a room," I said softly to a woman who came to us, fluttering her fan. She was tall and pretty, with her hair elegantly braided and her skin properly perfumed. She was attractive enough for me to start having thoughts of…cold showers. I shifted my pack to ensure my feelings remained my own affairs.

"You could look up and say hello, Handsome. Don't be shy, I don't bite," the woman said, her loose yukata displaying a generous…neck I was not going to look at anything below her neck. I couldn't look her in the face without feeling a strange warm feeling in my ears. "Will that be a room alone?" she asked, putting her hand on my shoulder. I felt the skin glow hot beneath her touch. I wanted to rip off her robe and…

"No. My father and I will be there too. How much?" Toph broke in. she had been awfully quiet. Something was on her mind, but I had enough problems of my own.

"Well, little lady, aren't you lucky that I have a free room? Nice and spacious for your family. That will be seven silver pieces a night, covers the hot springs and two meals. I expect half of it in advance," Mera said, her voice becoming more business-like. She smiled and put a slender finger under my chin. "Though perhaps I could be convinced to work out a bargain."

Toph cleared her throat and stepped in front of me. "No, that will be fine. Our father will be here soon. Shaya of the Luri clan. My brother and I are tired and would like to rest," she said firmly with a look that would make Azula flinch slightly.

"Yes, you both look quite exhausted. Across the way is the steam baths. The maid, Bai will show you where to go," Mera said, putting a hand on her curvy hip. The small, thin maid had entered the room and was putting the broom away. "She'll show you all you need to know. You both undress and enjoy yourselves. The evening meal will be in two hours, so wash up well," Mera said, her voice souring a bit, as she pointed to the painted wooden panel, with pictures of waterfalls.

The maid bowed and motioned for us to follow her. We walked outside and found ourselves in a courtyard across from a long building with steam coming from the roof. We walked silently across the sand garden. I noticed that despite the warmth of the day, Bai was shivering. "You okay?" I asked.

"I don't need any help. What are you going to do, wash me?" Toph snapped, obviously not understanding the situation.

"The world doesn't revolve around you, Little Sister," I said, enjoying those words more than I probably should.

"This is your bathing room, young mistress," Bai said in a surprisingly sweet voice as she took us inside the building and indicated a white door. "If you require anything, please ring the bell."

Toph nodded haughtily, obviously trying to hide her blindness and walked into the door, head held high. "No need," she repeated in a hiss.

I went into the next room and found a stone tub waiting for me, along with wash clothes and a robe. As I began to undress, I felt eyes still on me. I turned around and saw the maid standing there. "Yes?" I demanded.

"Do you want me to…do anything?" she whispered, bowing her head. "I could…wash you if you'd like…or do anything else you'd like." She gestured at her frayed sash.

"What?" Surely she could not mean…oh Agni she could not mean… "I think you are confusing my needs. I just need a bath, not…anything else," I muttered, dropping my eyes.

"But…you gave me money. I thought…," the girl whispered, shame filling her voice. "Why else would you give me so much?"

"I gave you the money because you need it. When I leave, I'll give you three more gold coins. Use it to find a decent place to work where you'll have more," I mumbled.

"How…can I ever repay you? Surely, I can do something," the girl whispered, looking so helpless. She was like Uncle and I, thrown to the dust while unworthy people walked over us.

"I don't need anything in return." Frankly, it was nice to know that there was someone worse off than I was.

"But…why…my lord?" the girl queried, looking so shocked. She was looking at me with such respect, my debt was more then repaid.

"Because I can and I should. Now go, I don't want you getting into trouble," I mumbled, trying to get over my shame.

"My lord, may you always have good luck," the girl whimpered, bowing deeply before leaving the room. I doubted one good deed would change my horrible string of bad luck that had been my life. Still, I did feel a bit better. I undressed and climbed into the tub, eager to clean up.

I relaxed in the hot soapy water. My muscles had been especially sore because of all my workouts with Toph and the combat I had today. I had to admit, hearing that my father wanted to me dead had added a fresh layer of pain to the mural of my heart. I had defeated the troops sent to capture me. I had strengthened myself, I had done everything. What more was needed to please Father?

I had finally decided to take Uncle's advice and soak away my troubles. I knew my problems could not be washed away as easily as the sweat from my body. I was still facing a lifetime of fugitive existence, with no honor, country, or throne of my own. Still, I had to say I was almost too exhausted even to wallow in self-pity. After Toph's last training session, I needed a rest.

I remembered baths like this back at the palace, back home where I belonged. No washing in creeks, just scented soap and heated water. I lathered up and washed myself, making sure to be generous with the scented soap. I had long resigned myself to smelling like a peasant, but for a few moments, I could be nobility again. In spite of myself, I let out a contented sigh and settled down in the stone tub and warmed the water again with my breath. This felt like paradise, but better! I combed my hair free of all the dirt and put some lemon oils in. I was Prince Zuko again…for a moment.

"Hey, need some company?" a horrifyingly familiar voice asked as I heard the door slide open and quick footsteps approaching.

"Toph! I mean…Hanabi, OUT!" I shouted, trying to found that damn washcloth so I could make myself decent.

"Don't worry, Prissy. I can't see or judge anything," Toph snickered as she entered my personal space, clad only in a white robe.

"It's indecent! I'm bathing. Haven't you ever heard of privacy?" I sputtered, draping the blessed cloth as properly as possible. I didn't care if she could not see my body, it was still improper.

"Don't be such a prudish girl," she said, standing in front of me with no thought of the proper rules of society.

"Well, you don't act very feminine," I muttered as I debated if I should get out of the water and grab my own robe, or remain submerged. I decided on the later.

"You are girly enough for the entire group. You're supposed to be my brother, so no big deal. Didn't you and Fire Bitch ever swim together? Or would she just have drowned you?" she asked, as she dipped her feet into my bathtub.

"Hey, stop it!" I ordered. All I needed was her dirty feet in my nice clean water. I had to admit, I found Toph to be a worthy teacher, but her hygiene made me want to vomit. I may have been an exiled renegade but I did not have to smell like one. No matter how cold it was, I always made it my business to bath at every single opportunity. Suddenly, I felt a spike of stone erupt from the bath inches from a very sensitive area. "HEY!"

"My feet are clean, so is the rest of me. I have heard you sniffing snootily when I forget to bath. Now I've washed up so I don't want to hear more bellyaching. I'm as fresh as a daisy and I even smell good too," Toph said, making me wonder about her sanity.

Before I could give her a piece of my mind, I heard the door slide open again. My loincloth-clad uncle was waddling into the room, adding to my mental trauma. Couldn't he put clothes on like a normal person? "Might I join you two? My bath is situated near a window and it's too drafty."

"Can't a person take a bath without this becoming a council chamber?" I demanded, wondering why the Gods had decided to torment me. Couldn't they pick on someone less worthy, like that stupid Water Tribe yokel? "Why aren't you wearing a robe?"

"Why, my dear young one, I remember a two year old child who had decided dinner clothing was too uncomfortable and decided to remove them. He ran around the table five times before his mother caught him." My ears turned red as Toph snickered. I was two and I had tried to repress that memory for as long as possible. "Besides, my body does need a thorough airing," he said proudly as he lowered himself into the tub next to me and across from Toph. "Hope you don't mind, daughter."

"Oh wonderful. Why can't the earth just swallow me up and spare the shame?" I muttered as I tried to ignore my half-naked uncle and my sadistic female teacher watching me bathe.

"I can arrange that, if you want," Toph chirped. "One Earth coffin coming right up."

"Perhaps you need a massage," Uncle offered, holding out his hands. "Your shoulders look very tense."

"I'm going to our room," I snapped, getting up faster then I most likely should have. I found myself completely nude and humiliated, blushing to the roots of my hair. Suddenly, the sand coffin wasn't so bad. With a flick of my wrist, I heated the water to make a curtain of steam.

"Nephew, why don't you take your robe? No need to make all the wives here jealous," Uncle chortled, handing me a white linen yukata and sash.

"What happened? What am I missing?" Toph asked, her head moving around to listen for sounds.

I grabbed the robe and shoved it on, for once not caring about personal appearance. "I'm going to bed," I snapped.

"I'm not surprised. You know, you probably could convince a maid to warm it for you," Uncle called as I yanked open the door and stomped out. Our room faced a courtyard with a sand garden, so the water flowing off my body made little patterns on the ground beneath me. I didn't bother to look more than a passing glace.

I found my room rather easily and stepped inside. It was a large room with three rolled up futons in the corner. A low table was in another corner. Elegant wall panels with painted clouds and dragons. It was simple, but comfortable.

I unrolled my futon, relishing the knowledge that I would be sleeping indoors. It was raining outside. Ordinarily, I'd be cold and huddled in whatever shelter I could find. Now I had money, enough money to support Uncle and myself in basic peasant comforts for quite a bit of time.

I set up some candles and decided to do some meditation. Kneeling in front of the flames, I began deep breathing, freeing my mind from all the earthly chains. I was not a creature of flesh and blood, I was the flame. I was the lifeblood of the sun. I was the light in the morning and the glow in the evening.

"Open the door, it's me. I don't care if you are decent." Toph's voice broke through my thoughts, as always shifting my concentration. Perhaps it was for the better but she still annoyed me.

I debated leaving her outside to sulk, but my curiosity had been evoked. What was she holding in her hands that she could not open it herself? As I neared the door, my nose answered the question for me.

Toph was standing at the door, dressed in a simple white yukata. She was balancing a tray of steaming lidded plates in her hands. If Azula had been at the door with a big bouquet of flowers, I would not have been more surprised. "One jibe and I'll shove the tray up your nose," she said, brushing past me. Using the wooden floor as her guide, she laid the tray on the low table. "Now sit and eat."

"Where's Uncle?" I asked, as I sat down across from her. I had learned quickly to obey Toph or get my nose ground into the ground. I trusted her enough not to poison me and I had to admit, I was strangely touched.

"He's in the public men's bath. Talking about Pai Sho. Boring. You better be eating," Toph said airily.

I chewed the fluffy bread thoughtfully. "It's…good." Very good. Why in Agni's name was Father trying to conquer these people? They should be honored for their culinary achievement. I could really get used to this excellent food. "What's it called?"

"Lehem. Try it with Shipud. It's chunks of porcow cooked on spits," Toph said, moving the stone plate with a flick of her finger. "You'll need it to keep up your strength for tomorrow. I have some new training ideas."

"So that's why you are being so domestic," I mused, as I helped myself to the strange food. After weeks of starving on roots and berries, it was better than anything I could imagine.

"Don't get used to it. I just want you at your pathetic peak," Toph grumbled, as she passed me a flask of ginger tea. We drank in silence, merely enjoying the quiet and listening to the rain.

"Your father is a fool." Toph stared blankly into space, almost as if she was meditating.

"What? How dare you?" I gasped. I had once called my father a fool to Zhao because I had realized that we would never be able to control the world by force, but my heart had always told me that the Fire Lord's whim was divine truth.

"He is. You would die for him. Uncle would do anything for people he cares about. He followed your ungrateful ass into exile. Your father should have you by his side, not make you his enemies," she said in a soft tone.

There was a long pause, in which I had no idea how to respond. Finally, Toph spoke up again. "Uncle should have had kids. He would have been a great dad."

"He had a son once. A wife too. Aunt Lien and Cousin Lu-Ten," I murmured as I chewed some more delicious food.

"They died?" Toph whispered, her voice sounding sad. She really cared about Uncle. I wasn't sure if I should be grateful or jealous.  
"Yeah. Aunt Lien died when I was five. Consumption. She was in frail health. The birth of my cousin Lu-Ten nearly killed her. She smelled like ginseng. That's what I remember best about her," I mused. I also remembered thin hands that stroked my cheek and pressed a candy into my palm when Mom had not been looking. I remember a soft voice that had always been laughing. Mom had cried a lot after she had died. I had cried too, before Father told me to shut it and be a man.

"That stinks," Toph sighed, as she folded her arms across her chest in thought. "She must have been nice. What about your cousin?"

"Lu-Ten." How do I begin to explain Lu-Ten? He was the perfect prince, courageous, supremely talented, handsome, and well liked by all who knew him. To me, he had been a vision of greatness, a god sent down on earth to be admired. "His name was Prince Lu-Ten."

"What was he like?" Toph asked, as she picked at her food.

"He should have lived. He deserved to have lived." Lu-Ten had always been so patient with me. He had not cared that he was heir to the throne, the young dashing hero of the Nation and I was a gawky seven year old, the shame of my father's heart. He was a fantastic listener, just taking in everything I said with that wonderful lazy smile of his. We used to sit together by the pond, fishing for koi and talking about life. He always assured me that I would someday make everyone proud.

_I don't care if Azula is a prodigy. You have the heart of a champion._

_The fastest climber won't reach the mountaintop, the one with the most endurance will._

_Let's practice your set again; you almost got it last time._

_Don't listen to Uncle Ozai. Just think how happy he'll be when you are a hero!_

"He died at Ba Xing Xe. He was in a covert strike. My cousin believed in leading the charge, saying he would share his troops' fate. He took the brunt of an attack, but saved his regiment. He died a hero," I finally said softly. "I don't want to talk anymore. Go find Uncle."

"Going to sulk? Just because your element is pathetic and your life sucks doesn't mean all is lost," Toph said crudely, making me wonder if she had rocks in her head. "And Uncle is playing Pai Sho downstairs."

We remained silent for a moment, with me hoping she would finally shut up. Hopefully, she would take the hint and leave me alone. "Oi! Sparky! Stop eating!" Involuntarily, my teeth ground at the sound of her voice as she nudged me with her foot. What now?

"What is it?" I asked, wondering how I expected to eat and relax when I had all these distractions all round me.

"Meet me outside. Now. We can eat later," Toph motioned for me to follow her, bouncing out of the room with the hellish energy she seemed to enjoy. I groaned and stole another bite before, before lumbering outside to the empty courtyard.

Toph faced me, a sadistic grin on her face. "You owe me a lesson!" she admonished me, making me wonder if she had lost her mind. It often happened after spending too much time with my family, most members being insane. "Remember? I teach you Earth, you teach me Fire!" she reminded me.

I blinked. I knew I had given her my word to teach her and a deal was a deal. But Toph had shown only derision in the previous lessons. "Toph, how am I supposed to teach you?" I asked.

Toph scowled as she planted her hands on her hips defiantly. "Just because I am blind doesn't make me helpless. I'm not deaf nor dumb. I can do this. You can correct me as we go. Do you need me to kick your ass again to prove my mettle."

I rolled my eyes, wondering why her parents ever suspected she was meek and mild. "That's not what I meant. You have no interest in learning."

"I changed my mind. I said I want to learn and frankly, it's better than sitting around and listening to you mope! Duh!" Toph said, tossing her hair much like a rhino.

I was starting to wonder what the girl's motives were. Well, if she wanted me to teach, that was fine by me. But if she thought I was going to go easy on her, she had another thing coming. "We both better stretch out. I'm sure you know how to do that."

"Yep!" she said perkily. I wondered where she got all her energy from. Most be the joy of being young and carefree and not having your father burn off half your face. Still, I shoved those thoughts out of my mind and began awakening my muscles. It would be a pity to get all sweaty again, but I could always take another dip in the hot springs after, this time alone. In fact, I was rather looking forward to teaching Miss Toph some things.

"Right then. Horse Stance!" I instructed, rather enjoying ordering the girl around. She immediately assumed it - feet wide, squatting down, hands balled and held at the chest. I let her sit there as I considered what to teach her. I knew she was a master - she was probably a step or five beyond the basics.

Then again, as I thought it through, she had a firm grip of the basics as they applied to the Earth style. The same basics would apply differently in the Fire style - especially if she truly meant to rely on her body, as she claimed.

I said, "Uncle always says a thousand sparks alone are nothing to fear. a single spark heated a thousand times consumes without ceasing. So here's what we're going to do. Sink your stance!" She complied immediately. Oh, that obedience felt good!

"I will have you practice one technique today." I demonstrated a punch. I then moved her arm in a punch maneuver a few times. The sun was setting behind us, decreasing my power. I was tired, but I would not admit it. "You will practice it a thousand times with each arm, and I will watch to correct you. You will not move until I call for you to, is that clear?" I said, trying to sound authoritative.

"Yes, Sifu Sparky!" Toph chirped, her voice and posture dripping with insolence.

I clenched my fist. Oh, she's paying for that one. "Ha!" I called out, watching as she punched on my call. It was good form - perpendicular to the body, and she didn't make the mistake of locking her arm when she struck. She was a quick study. Good.

"Ha!" Again. "Keep your body straight!"

"Ha!" Again. "Good!"

"Ha!" Again. I made sure she always left a pause, to let the chi flow fully through the arm. An hour passed, and she didn't move from her stance at all.

I continued to watch her, but she seemed too focused, ignoring the sweat streaming down her face, the trembling in her limbs. She did not need any more correction, her form was perfect. At the end of that hour, we'd covered up to three hundred punches, but I figured she'd earned a break.

"Alright. We'll get some water." I needed a drink of water just from watching her exert herself like that.

"I can keep going," Toph panted, her voice hoarse and sore. I could see how red her face. She needed a break and she would be having one.

"I'm the teacher. We get water. So, what made you decide to bestow your almighty attention on Fire Style again?" I asked, as I decided as I considered what next to teach her.

"We're in sand," Toph replied curtly, as she stretched out her limbs. Her clothing was plastered with sweat and yet, she looked eager for more instruction.

"So?" I demanded. What did sand have to do with anything? I sometimes wondered if I would ever understand this strange girl.

"I can't see in sand. It's too loose to give me feedback. Figure out the rest," Toph said coldly, holding her head high. She had her shoulders squared, looking very defensive. She could not even know where she was going and yet, she kept on practicing. That took bravery and perseverance, the two traits…I valued most. "I won't lose."

"Then we better keep practicing," I said, earning myself a smile of gratitude from my…friend. She would never have my pity. She had too much of my respect.

AN-Two friends from Toph's past come and some bad news comes. Hope you keep reading!


	7. Still Standing

Okay, we have another chapter of JTG, where some old "friends" of Toph arrive. Next chapter, you'll find out more about the gang. Sokka has some fun things to tell you. For those of you who wanted more romance, I wanted to say that there will be no full-on romance for a while, but I have included some hints in this chapter. Again, friendship before romance. I promise, it will come. (Saxon Dogs, who knows secrets can testify to that)

I'd like to extend a huge thank you to all my reviewers, who I will answer now. (I often don't answer till a new chapter is up, because your questions give me good ideas and I want to use them and thank you for them) Shout-out to Kissing Off and Saxon Dogs, my advisors. Special thanks to Spleef for beta-ing it, and Kishi for being my Sifu! You all rock.

** Still Standing**

It's something sacred,something so beatiful

something quiet to ease my mind

when the pressure's taking me over and over

--The Rasmus

I awoke early in the next morning, feeling the heat of the sun coming in from one of the windows. As I stretched out my body, I checked on the breathing of my two friends. Uncle sleeping on the left side of me was still snoring. My old friend could sleep through a war. Then again, he probably had to learn to sleep through the roar of catapults.

Sleeping near him was the Sack of Grumps, the closest thing I had to a friend my age. I was not sure what to think of Zuko. Whenever we were together, I usually ended up kicking his butt. Still, I didn't hate him very much. Actually, I kind of thought he was…fun to be around. Okay, I liked him.

I quickly was dressed and ready to lead Zuko in another lesson. Yesterday, I had let him take charge. Now, I needed the reins back.

Of course, he did sound rather comfy. He had done well in training. He had earned a break. I decided to let sleeping lazybones lies. I had a lot to do today and I could do it just as well alone.

I could feel the sunlight on my shoulder as I left the inn. It seemed like a nice day for some more training. Still, I had a long list of supplies to get, if we wanted to be ready to make the Fire Bitch pay.

I quickly found the weapons shop, the sound of metal being pounded was hard to ignore. I could hear the surprise in the blacksmith's voice when he heard me asking for kunai knives, shuriken and an ax. One flash of a gold piece had quickly ended his mental debate on why a little blind girl needed the merchandise. People lost a lot of thought when they heard the click of coins.

After that, I needed food for my men. Relying on my sense of smell, I picked out dried meats, breads and other edibles that would survive the journey to…somewhere that I was going on with my new friends. I figured the where was not important, it wasn't like I had anything else to do. Besides, they needed me. I was pulling my own weight and was the backbone of the group.

As I ordered the supplies to be taken to the inn, I brushed my hands along the sides. Of all the supplies, most important was the earthen jars of sake that I picked out myself. That would come into use later. Of course, Uncle would more value the Ginseng tea and the honey I had gotten him as a gift.

I still had a few minutes before I would return to my home to throw Zuko out of bed. I decided to get some more presents for the boys. They would need warm cloaks, blankets and sleeping mats. We would also need cooking pots, chopsticks and…why was I being so domestic? This was not like me at all!

A helpful little kid helped me find the town hall room, where a quick flash of my official papers had the town bowing before me. Suddenly, the crowd of people buzzing around me waiting on line was shooed out so everyone could make sure I was happy. Okay, I liked my family's power. I had stolen my parents' documents the night I had left and now I was a demi-god. Of course, there was the problem of my poor maid Inbal. I had bullied her into helping me steal the documents. She had probably gotten the lashing of a lifetime when Dad realized the papers were gone. Well, what could I do about it? "Miss Beifong, how may we serve you?" each official panted, eager to please me. "Your wish is our command." I heard someone exhale loudly and another person shush him.

"It better be," I informed them. "I need three passports to anywhere in the Earth Kingdom, as well as safe passage certificates for myself and my two traveling companions, who are packing my belongings," I commanded, acting like the noble I was. I was the companion of two princes as well, as well as being a Beifong.

"And may I ask where you plan to go?" one male official asked, as I was offered complimentary fried dough.

"No, you may not. I'm on official family business," I said, knowing hiding wanted fugitives was something my family would find officially horrifying. Well, when I actually began caring, I would say so.

As the papers were pressed into my hand, I suddenly wished Zuko or Iroh was here so they could check them for me. I was perfectly capable of doing almost anything, but books remained…an issue. "That will be all. I shall tell you if and when I need more assistance from you," I said, holding my nose properly in the air. Just a quick walk to find a present for Zuko and then I would be on my way home.

So what to buy the prince who has nothing? I was torn between buying him a scroll on cooking for beginners and a new pair of boots. Zuko had his swords, and I had bought him some supplies to make life in the wilderness more comfy. I wasn't sure what else he would want. The old gang had been easy. Twinkle-toes liked any animal toy, Sugar Queen loved hair combs and Boomerang boy liked meat. Sparky was still a bit of a mystery to crack.

I supposed I would just have to work him harder and weaken his strength enough for him to tell me what he would like. After the work-out I was going to put him through, he would be begging to tell me what I wanted to know. Whistling to myself, I decided to head back to the inn.

As I moved forward, I felt some footsteps behind me. I supposed it was just some town folks. Still, I decided to circle around the block to just make sure. I kept listening to the vibrations of the ground, blocking out all other noise. Sure enough, I was being followed. I swerved down an alley and the footsteps followed me. It was not Zuko or Iroh, I could tell their treads in a second.

I could feel my two opponents vibrating through the earth. There on the left – lighter, movements following a definite pattern. There on the right – heavier, movements not following any sort of regulation. I shivered as I recognized the stances of Xin Fu, the announcer of Earth Rumble and Master Yu, my former teacher.

What the hell are they doing here? How could they have found me? This was very bad. It was too late to avoid them now.

"At last," came Master Yu's voice. I could hear the breathy quality that had tormented me all those years with baby steps. I could do so much more and he kept me back. "We've been searching a long time for you, Toph."

"For what?" I asked cautiously. I knew the answer to my question. Father would not allow me to go out in the world "unprotected and alone." It was only a matter of time before I was tracked down and dragged back by the collar.

"Because your father is very concerned for your safety, my dear young student," Master Yu answered, his voice getting more snooty. "The world is a dangerous place for a helpless, blind girl. He has kindly asked us to escort you home."

"So I can be his doll," I replied flatly. A helpless blind girl? I could just see the rest of my life living in the estate. I'd being constantly guarded, never having the chance to fight or have adventure. It made me feel…like I was being squeezed to death by a giant snake, pulling me tighter and tighter. "I'm not going anywhere."

"He merely wants what's best for you," Master Yu said. "You broke their hearts by running away like that. Your mother has not stopped crying. I expected better of my student then such filial impiety," he sighed as he tsked him tongue at me. I wondered if he would send me to the corner, the way he had punished on the rare occasions that I had considered it worth my time to misbehave.

"My parents don't know what's best for me," I said softly, feeling very bitter. I hated my parents. "My father just sees what he wants to see. He's blind to the truth."

"What truth?" Yu asked softly, in that snooty know-it-all tone he knew I hated. He had always treated me like an idiot. He had no right to cage me up like a bird! He had no right to control my life! "You are blind, Toph. You must face the fact that you are small, blind and a child, that you need protection. How could you say something like that about your loving parents, who only want to protect you?"

"I'm not some stupid doll to be cradled!" I shouted. "I'm the best damned Earth Bender in the Kingdom. No way in Hell I'm giving that up!" I had a family now, I had people who respected and cared for me, who needed me.

"Oh, shut up, will ya?" Xin Fu's voice interjected. "Damned brat. Just come back with us!" I could feel him shifting back and forth on his heels impatiently, the vibrations from his body tense and nervous.

"I'm not going back." I was only too eager to drive Master Yu's face into the ground and give Xin Fu an Earth-slam dunk for kidnapping me. I just had to wait and listen for the perfect moment to strike.

Xin Fu's weight shifted from foot to foot, obviously angered. I had to keep him off-guard, maintain my advantage. "The Hell you aren't! After all the work we did to find you, you're coming back. I'll break your legs if I have to."

"Big words for a man who had his ass handed to him by a little girl," I mocked, putting my hands in the air, ready to fight back. Now he was asking for it and I was happy to supply.

"Xin Fu!" Master Yu shouted. "There's no need for such hostility! My pupil will come along quietly and unharmed." I somehow doubted my teacher cared about me. He just knew my dad was the chief benefactor of his martial arts academy and feared losing his patron.

"Why not?" I heard the grin on the thug's face. He wanted me hurt, ever since I had humiliated him. "Lao just said he wanted his little girl back. Never said a thing about whether she's all right or not."

For me, that sealed it. There was no way I was going back - certainly not with these people. "I'd worry more about you guys, myself," I crowed in challenge. "You'll need all my dad's money just to get put back together when I'm done with you!"

"Toph, please see reason," Yu began, but Xin Fu stomped, calling a boulder from the ground. Another step, and he kicked the boulder straight at me.

I clapped my hands together, collapsing the boulder to sand. "Is that the best you can do, Xin Fu? I'm bored!" I exclaimed, trying to keep him angered. When he lost his temper, he was harmless.

"No! Everyone-" Yu tried again, before a thrust of my fingers pushed a column out of the earth and into the man's middle. Take that for calling me helpless and blind! The man was sent sprawling, smacking into the ground with a musical sound.

I felt Xin Fu quirk his hands, calling several rocks from the ground around him, then I felt the rapid thrust of hands. Thrusting my own hands down and forward, I called the familiar wedges of earth to my aid. And just in time - I heard the patter of rain against my fortress, even with the warmth of the sun.

The vibrations from Master Yu's direction announced his attack. Thanking the stone gods I had studied with Zuko, I punched in his direction, pushing the wedge along the ground and towards him. I felt him land after his leap over it.

I smiled. Yes, this was what I needed, my blood pumping and the adrenaline tingle that fueled me into battle. The rush of heat as chi flowed to the earth, making it move at my wish. This was what it meant to be truly alive. I didn't need my eyes, not when I had this feeling.

Then I felt something that wasn't supposed to be there. Those footsteps - no! Uncle, keep back! "Hanabi?" came the old general's voice. He sounded so worried for me. "I was looking for you. Who are these men?" he asked softly.

"Stay out of this, old man!" Xin Fu shouted angrily. "This girl isn't Hanabi, her name is Toph Beifong and she is no concern of yours."

"Now gentleman, surely this young lady can decide for herself where she wishes to go. Perhaps we should ask her," Uncle said, his posture taught and coiled. He was ready to attack if need be.

"Shut up or else you'll be-" Xin Fu threatened before pausing. "Wait a minute," he said, his voice smug and posture eager. I could hear his every movement and if he took one step in the wrong direction, I'd have to tear him a new air-hole. "You are General Iroh of the Fire Nation, a traitor to the Fire Lord. I've seen you on reward posters. There's a hefty sum on your head, ain't there, Yu?"

"Well, the ladies have been known to search for me," Uncle said softly, his voice light and calm.

"We didn't come out here to play bounty hunter, Xin," said Master Yu. "We're here to escort Toph safely back to the Bei Fong family. We don't have time for this!"

"But this man is a criminal!" Xin Fu called back. I could hear his sick smile. "We'd be doing a service to the Kingdom if we turned him in!" I could hear him gather a boulder to throw a strike at him. "Think of the money."

The thought of losing that dear old man filled me with an unreasoning fury. Now the heat was raging, consuming - it burned inside. I had never been so angry in my life. I had watched the Fire Bitch hurt Uncle once. I had barely known him than and it had filled me with sadness. This time, it was just pure anger. It would not happened again! I would not lose my friend or have to feel Zuko's pain again. "The hell you will!" I growled.

"Well, it's your choice. Either we kill this nice old man or you come quietly. What do you say?" Xin Fu asked me, in a tone reserved for toddlers and imbeciles. How dare they threaten my friend? How dare they make me choose between friendship and freedom? Who the hell were they to control my life?

"I say, you're going down!" I gestured with my fingers again, and the stalagmites erupted near Xin Fu in his distraction. The man flew into a tree, where another stalagmite promptly crushed his legs against the tree. He shouted in pain.

"Toph!" shouted Master Yu. "Be reasonable! Don't..." By going after me, he had sealed his own fate. I stomped, calling a boulder from the earth.

"Leave my friends alone!" With a shriek of fury, I punched it toward his voice. "If you touch them, I'll tear you apart!" I heard it break as he punched through it, but that was fine - I pulled my hands apart and stepped. Earth erupted at the man's legs, striking and producing a resounding crack. Master Yu cried out and collapsed.

I stepped again and shards of stone rose into the air. I would make them pay. I would not lose everything I had worked so hard to gain. The thought of my friends and I languishing in prisons by our own family was unacceptable. With another shriek, I smashed rocks against my former teacher's body, giving him everything he deserved. Xin Fu, screaming in pain from the broken legs I had given him was given the same treatment. I enjoyed hearing them suffer.

"Toph, you must stop. Please…you will kill them," Uncle said, putting his hand on my shoulder. His voice sounded soothing, but I could not help shaking with rage. "You must calm down."

"They'll kill us. It's them or us. I won't let them hurt us anymore," I said, as I raised another enormous boulder.

"You found her," a voice behind Uncle said. Zuko's familiar stride slide next to me. They were both in danger. It was my job to protect them. "What's going on?"

"Toph, they are badly wounded. You have done enough. They can't hurt us anymore," Uncle soothed, though I was still trembling with fear-laced bloodlust. "Don't fall into that anger and fear, Toph. It's a very empty place." I raised the boulder higher, eager to end the threat.

Yet, before I could do anything, I felt two hands reach around my waist and pick me up. My vibration-vision ended immediately as my feet left the ground. "That's enough. It's over," Zuko hissed as he began to carry me away.

"Put me down, you rhino-fucking bastard," I shouted, but tears were already in my eyes. I had never lost control like that before, I had never been so nervous to lose another person. I cared about these people. It was a strange feeling, like realizing that cats had tails and hated when you stepped on them.

"Just shut up. We have got to get out of town. We'll get back to the inn. Gather the supplies. Leave. We've left too much of a trail," Zuko said gruffly, sounding furious. Surprisingly, the sound of his heart-beat made me feel calmer. It was pounding in fear because of me. This was what friendship was about, nearly getting each other killed and still standing by each other.

"I thought you would be the one to screw up, not me. Now put me down before I end your life," I sniffled, trying to get control of my emotions. I could hear the whispers around me by the people as they passed by. What had I done?

"Put her down," Uncle commanded, his voice low. He was obviously not happy with me either. The silence of his disapproval stung pretty badly. My feet got back to the ground and the vibrations let me see again. "You go ahead and get everything ready. You are the fastest."

Wordlessly, I listened as Zuko sprinted ahead. I figured everyone hated me already. I waited for the anger to come out. "Well…you really lost your temper," Uncle began meditatively.

"Yeah," I muttered, wondering if he would say he expected more of me or just couldn't expect more from a "blind girl." I wasn't sure which would hurt more.

"You know, a few months ago, Zuko's ship was blown up. I was on shore when I saw his ship go up in flames. I…have lost many loved ones and Zuko is all I have left. When I thought he was gone, I was filled with such grief. For a moment, I just remained still, trying to absorb the blow. After that, I was filled with such a rage. Had I not found my nephew bleeding a few seconds later, I would have killed the person responsible and died in the effort. When you care about someone, you do foolish things. I could have lived comfortably in obscurity had I not followed Zuko into exile. But sometimes…being foolish is the only wise thing to do when you care about someone," Uncle explained softly.

I was quiet for the rest of the trip. I still had no idea what to say about the idea that I cared about them. A month ago, I had no friends and now I had two that I was willing to kill for. Life was really getting confusing.

When we got back to the inn, I could hear Zuko rustling through the room, shoving supplies that had been scattered into bags. "You bought a lot," was the only thing that Zuko muttered as a greeting. For a pampered prince, he sure knew how to pack.

"Hey, someone has to be the provider," I snapped, unsure how to take what he said. Well, he had screwed up enough; I was allowed to make a mistake once in a century.

"Uncle, you two take these down and tie it to the two rhinos. We are leaving before midday," Zuko growled, as I heard him tie another knot. He had the nerve to ignore me!

"If you have something to say to me, say it to my face, Mopey. You lost your marbles too. Don't act all high and mighty to me," I snapped furiously. I could pull my own weight.

Iroh coughed and put his hand on my shoulder. "Let us not lose our tempers. If Azula catches us, I promise it will be much more unpleasant," he said. "Now, take a deep breath and let's get our belongings past. Maybe we could sneak a quick dinner before we go," he said kindly, his heartbeat showing his worry even if his voice didn't. I heard him pick up a heavy bag.

"Let me help you," I said, figuring I could still prove my worth. I was not going to have Zuko mad at me. The problem had to be met head-on, or rather smashed through his thick skull. Of course, footsteps interrupted me. "Well…after I answer the door."

The sliding panel opened before I could take a step forward. By the sound of the silk rustling, it sounded like Mera, the innkeeper whore. Her footsteps seemed nervous and quick. I hoped she was not feeling frisky. If she even touched Zuko again, I'd have to start throwing a few stones. "You'll have to leave. I can't have Fire Nation in my establishment," she said, her tone snooty. "Be on your way."

"As you can see, we are already leaving your crummy inn," Zuko hissed, his tone rising. "And we're just travelers, you old hag." Sparky had his moments where he pleased me and this was definitely one of them.

"Everyone knows who you are. Exiled outcasts from the royal family. We should have noticed the scar. Now get out before I call the law," Mera hissed, like a cat.

I smiled and took a step forward. "Then you know who I am? I'm Toph Bei-Fong. When I return home, I'm going to make sure my family's contacts crush your business. I'm going to set up an even better inn, cheaper too and run you out of business. I'd give you what you really deserve, but I promised my family here I'd be nice. I'm sure you saw what I did today to people who annoyed me. So run now, while you still can walk." A set of terrified footsteps fled the room.

"Another door closes," Zuko muttered. His heart-rate had changed, indicating feelings of sadness. Obviously, being thrown out hurt him, but I think the word outcast was even worse.

"We don't need her. We have a long journey ahead. Want me to go and pound her?" I asked, trying to make Zuko lighten his mood.

"That won't be needed, Toph," Uncle murmured as he continued to load up the belongings into various bags with many jumbled noises.

"No one insults our family," I said softly, feeling finally at peace with myself. I could hear Zuko's heart rate rise a bit as well, a clear sign of his mood improving. "Come on, Sparky," I said as I picked up our belongings. He quietly carried more belongings, with Uncle coming up behind us. We did not need anyone else. We were a prickly bunch, but a good one.

AN-Next chapter, we return to Sokka's story. Stay tuned for that as well as chapter nine, where another old friend might just show up! Please review, this chapter was tough and your opinions mean the world to me!


	8. So Far Away

So sorry for the huge delay, real life has bitten me. I've been sick a lot lately, which reduced my ability to sit still and write. My mum remarried my biological father and I have been bonding with my new parent. We have not lived together as a family since I was tiny, so it's a big adjustment. My mum and I are slobs and Dad is a clean freak. Yup, I've been cleaning…a lot. I also fell in love and got my heart broken, (a no fault break up, guy is still a close friend) which killed my desire to write.

But through amazingly good friends, I'm back and better than ever. So to the friends that were there for me when I lost faith in humanity, my heart will always hold you dear.

This chapter will…gasp not feature Toko. It will discuss the Gaang and give you a foretaste of future plots. I hope you enjoy it. Next chapter, we return to our favorite couple, who will encounter a very evil person.

Okay, thank you list. Thanks to Spleef and Loveroftheflame for being editors, Sasori for helping me bounce ideas and giving me delicious fan-art, Scarylady for being a wonderful friend, Firebend for assisting with moral support and pep-talk. Huge shout out to my martial arts consultant and artist extraordinary, Never Ending Nightmare, and if I forgot anyone, my humblest apologies.

**Chapter Eight: So Far Away **

Now that we're here, it's so far away  
All the struggle we thought was all in vain  
They all finally start to go away

---Staind

The desert air is so hot. Not like the air at home, which was cold and numbing and chilled my tongue when I stuck it out. I miss the South Pole. I miss my people. I miss being home.

Not that I'll ever tell my sister Katara that. She's all excited about being the Avatar's helper, thinking it will earn her some place in history. To me, it just means that I have to protect her from things more dangerous than cold and hunger. Things like evil Fire-bending royalty and their evil armies.

Now, she's some Master of Waterbending. She thinks it makes her invincible. She doesn't know that every time she goes into battle, I just pray that I don't lose what is left of my family. It's my job to be invincible. It's my job to keep her safe. If Dad knew what trouble I had let her get into, he'd have every right to tan my hide like sealskin.

Though really, I am too old for a tanning. I am a grown warrior of fifteen, a man who had kissed two girls after all. I think Dad would understand.

Of course, then I remember that time when I willingly went with Aang and Katara into Fire Nation waters. And then that incident with that pretty boy Haru and getting herself captured. Yup… my ass was in for a frying when Dad found about all the fun events of the last year.

Of course, that depended on if we ever saw Dad again. At the moment, he was off fighting the Fire Nation and had been out of communication for a while. As for his son and heir, his daughter and the bald monk destined to save the world… somehow, we are stuck in the middle of a desert, after we were trapped underneath the ground in a huge underground library.

How did this happen, you ask? Well, it's a story too incredible to believe. Sometimes, when I'm listening to Aang mope about his lost bison and Katara trying to coddle him, I try to wonder if there was any way I could have gotten us stuck in a place with cured meats instead of biting sand.

It all started when a disaster named Toph (definition: short-tempered, short-stature and short fuse) who was mystically destined to teach Aang to play around with rocks, came into our group. I didn't mind that we had another girl in the group. I thought of her as a new annoying sister.

That is, until the annoying new sister refused to apologize for having Fire Nation collaborating traitors as parents. In fact, she had the nerve to demand we apologize to her and called us many not nice things. Then she even insulted Mom. I was starting to wish Pretty Boy Haru were mystically destined to be Aang's master. Then I remembered him making seal's eyes at Katara and realizing I'd have to defend my sister's honor. Suddenly, even the abrasive Toph seemed easier to deal with.

That was until she knocked me into a tree and demanded Aang choose between her and us. Yeah, the angry little rock-child or the two people who had been with Aang from the beginning? Sorry, Toph, this choice wouldn't take long. Just as I thought, Aang refused and the little pumice stone stomped off angrily.

We all decided to wait for her, give her some space. She'd come back soon enough. We'd laugh, we'd hug, we'd have some meat and make fun of the bald vegetarian, and all would be well.

The problem was she didn't come back. We waited for hours. We cruised around on Appa. Katara and I comforted Aang, who was sure she had been captured and it was all his fault. We waited for a long and sleepless week before coming to the conclusion that the Blind Bandit had truly left the building.

Aang wanted to stay longer and wait for Toph, but the solstice was coming. We had to get to Ba Xing Xe and find a master for Aang. Toph would most likely have gone back to her palace and forgotten all about us. If I lived like her, I sure wouldn't be traveling around on a flying two-ton monster. I'd be living the good life, having roasted seal chops fed to me by scantily clad and rather buxom servant girls. Yeah, that would be nice.

To cheer up our favorite (and only known living) Airbender, we decided to take a nice vacation. We would take our time getting to Ba Xing Xe and hope that the little earthquake would return to our side. I had to admit I missed her. We all did.

Katara's choice for a vacation was the Misty Palms Oasis, which she felt sounded refreshing. In Aang's words, "Oh yeah, I've been there. It's a pristine natural ice spring, and I usually don't use the word pristine. It's one of nature's wonders." Well, as long as they had comfortable bedding and a lack of people trying to kill us, I was game.

So we get to the Oasis and of course, it has to be a seedy dump that made the Fire Nation prison ship look safe. I didn't mind the sword-sliced drinks, but the wanted criminals lurking around in every corner made me want to brandish my club threateningly at anyone making eye contact with my sister.

Of course, the idiot we meet has to be Professor Zei. First, he starts measuring Aang's head and asking about the "primary agricultural product" of the Air Nomads, whatever that was. I think he was on the same medication as the wanderers were.

I couldn't listen to him babble for much longer. All I needed was a new map, but before I knew it, the nerd who drags us along on a wild goose chase to find some magical library of Wan Shi Tong in the middle of the desert. I mean, the guy was three furs short of a parka.

He even has the nerve to convince me to go along because he dangled the idea that the place might contain information that could be used against those Fire Nation monsters to get them to retreat to their lair and leave the rest of the world alone. I mean, I couldn't turn down that kind of information, after losing so much to those devils. At least, that was the plan, at first. Aang thought it was a good idea and it was the happiest I had seen him for a while. I figure the Gods were finally smiling on me.

Of course, I should have known that Gods never smile on me. They just smirk at me as they make my life miserable. After a day of flying over the hot desert, searching blindly for a library I wasn't entirely sure existed, we finally found the tiny tower sticking up out of the earth.

All of us wanted to see the library, so we left a napping Appa outside and followed the idiot through a window. He had wanted to excavate it with a little shovel that couldn't lift a baby penguin chick. Luckily, I reminded him of a more… logical idea of just exploring it ourselves.

I have to say the place was beautiful, like some temple from a story. I especially liked the… wait, tell me if this isn't good… buttresses! Snicker, enough as I'm dying of thirst, that makes me laugh.

Of course, that brought the Owl spirit. Nothing like a fifty-foot owl dragon as a welcome party. And he didn't even provide snacks! In fact, he reminded of me of Toph with his sarcasm, threatening us so rudely to leave, that humans were not welcome. We finally appeased the birdbrain by promising to offer some knowledge and promising only to learn.

Professor Zei had gone off knowledge hunting on his own, so it was just the three of us. We spent a few hours reading the most boring texts ever written until we found something of use, a burnt parchment that spoke of "The darkest day in Fire Nation history." Of course, when we tried to learn more about our enemy, it turns out they had torched their section of the library. Why am I not surprised?

We decided to investigate a little further into the burnt section, hoping to find something of use. Anything would be nice now. But of course, the moment we find a scroll entitled "The Downfall of the Fire Lord", who swoops in?

You guessed it, Owlibrarian, who wasn't too happy with our snooping. And when I say not happy, I mean homicidal and rather angrily swooping around, yelling how "Mortals are so predictable. _And_ such terrible liars."

The only problem with underground libraries is they have nowhere to go if you wanted to escape, especially when the library begins sinking into the ground. We were all thrown to the ground as we plummeted down, helpless to change our fate.

I tried to maintain my calm, being the leader I was. Ignore Katara's comment that I screamed like a little seal cub. It must have been poor Aang who nearly wet himself when he realized Appa was still outside and we were under a hundred feet of earth.

'Please, have mercy on us. Let my friends go," Aang had begged the Owlibrarian, looking extra innocent. I think he could have charmed the blubber off a seal at that moment. "My bison is outside."

"Bison can last many days without water, twenty three to be precise. My knowledge seekers will take care of him, don't worry. He will be taken to a holding cell to be studied. Spare your concerns for your own fate, interlopers. You will stay here and suffer the ultimate punishment," Won-Shi-Tong said angrily, looming over us menacingly.

The next thing we knew, we had been put to work cleaning the library, and stacking scrolls. Under the all-seeing eye of the birdbrain, we were enslaved to the world of academia. Every time, we even thought of taking a break, we'd get a flick from the taskmaster's tail. And let me tell you, it stung!

We figured he would just make us work for a few hours and let us go. Aang was mumbling about Appa the entire time, which didn't exactly add to the mood. Only Zei seemed really happy, singing about how he was the luckiest man in the world. When we got dry bread and water for a meal, then handed ratty mats for sleeping, I knew that we were in for a long haul.

The days past slowly. Actually, they passed excruciatingly slowly, filled with long bouts of putting away the most boring books ever written, from "The philosophy of children of Military Officers" by Katannah of Kory to "Brothels of the Holy Cities" by an anonymous author.

Actually the last book sounded interesting, but Katara grabbed it away. She said it was most likely written by some loser with no life. I had to say, I envied the guy's research work.

We soon lost track of the days. There was no sun miles below the Earth's surface and hence, the hours just faded into each other. Sometimes, it seemed like forever and other days, it seemed like we had been there for an eternity. Thoughts of Sozin's comet and the war seemed duller as time went on.

If we had been good that day, Owl-Howl would let us visit Appa. Aang would perk up and cuddle with him, cooing like a mother penguin reunited with her chick, promising that soon we would get out and Appa would see sunlight, before we were called to return to the book displays, which Professor Zei never left. Then again, I doubted he had much of a life.

Finally, it happened. Aang snapped. The boredom and the worry over saving the world had finally gotten to him. That little monk who seemed so cute and carefree went into his glowy death look.

When we saw him assume that state, Katara and I began operation Damage control. She rushed to try to calm him down before he killed us all, and I ran for cover! Good plan, working nearly every time, I thought as I ducked beneath a desk and assumed the fetal position.

When the rubble cleared, there was good news and there was bad news. The good news is that Aang had blown the roof off the place and we were free. The Bird Brain had been frightened off for now and we didn't plan on giving him another chance to capture us. There was no sign of Zei, but I had a feeling he was in another room, preferring books to freedom. Anyway, I wasn't too worried.

The bad news was something we found out after we were on Appa. He had been wounded by a piece of falling rubble and his foot was horribly sore. I mean, I really had to say I felt for the flying furry monster. I felt even more for the fact that we have to walk through the desert for Sedna knows how long, trying to find help for a wounded bison.

We're all so thirsty. We have no idea how long we spent in the library of doom, it could have been a week, and it could have been a month. Of course, the only available sundial and calendar was probably back in the prison, which was a place we were definitely not going back to.

So here I am, lying on the sand resting in Appa's shadow, with no food or water, a worried sister, an even more worried Avatar and a ton of responsibility. What else could go wrong?

That question was quickly answered when a blindfold was slipped over my head, and everything went dark. All I could hear was Appa bellowing, with a tired Aang and Katara trying to struggle. I was, of course, trying to rescue everyone when a large blunt force hit me on the head.

"Take them all. Our leader will be pleased," a rough voice said, as the world began to fade before my eyes.

_WHY ME? _

_AN-You will find out about the gaang, though not for a few chapters. I have big plans for them. Next chapter, Uncle and his two students face the greatest challenge ever when a visitor comes to town. And somebody's going to pay the price...painfully._


	9. Stand By Me

Sorry for the big delay, but I had some plot holes I needed to mend and some finals I needed to take. I also became an aunt to the beautiful and adorable Samuel Aaron, a delicious and sweet baby boy who has captured my heart. This chapter is more transitional, the second major arc will be begining next chapter with a huge amount of action. Special thanks to SopheretJulia for her lovely giftart, LoveroftheFlame and Spleef for beta-ing and Kishi for (im)moral support. Okay, Toph and Zuko work out some issues and life goes on...for a bit. Big thanks to ScaryLady for her help. Quotes from Usagi Ujimbo on tea. Okay, predictions for the Azula fight. If your post is number 300, you get the next chapter early.

Stand By Me 

If the sky that we look upon

Should tumble and fall

And the mountain should crumble to the sea

I won't cry, I won't cry

No I won't shed a tear

Just as long as you stand, stand by me-John Lennon

-------------------

I was cursed and I knew it. Just when I had finally find a nice place to rest for a few days, I was tossed out again. If only Toph had just kept her cool, I could have taken another bath and enjoyed another night of sleeping indoors like a person. I had to admit I preferred Toph to creature comforts, but I just could not help being upset. I had a lot to be angry about and I did not need any more reasons.

Toph seemed quieter than usual, which was not a good sign. She rode behind Uncle, her blank eyes closed in thought. I was not sure what to say to her, so I said as little as possible. It seemed like the most prudent method of action. So we just rode in silence, at a slow pace. We were too loaded down to travel quickly anyway. It would be hundreds of miles before we reached Ba Xing Xe. What would happen when we got this, I didn't know. Uncle had just mentioned it was the one place Azula couldn't get us.

A few miles from town, we reached the hill pass of Yohna and began the trek up and over the enormous peaks. We had left the town at midday and after only three hours, Uncle insisted we find a place to rest, and have some dinner. I wanted to keep riding as far away as possible, but it was hard to refuse my relation's requests. He tended to whine if he didn't get his way. Was I the only mature one in the group?

We finally found a grassy knoll near a winding river at the foot of a larger mountain overlooking the town. It was a verdently secluded place perfect for rest. I decided I would be the one to get the firewood; it would be excellent training to practice chopping the wood with hands. I knew one thing, I was getting stronger from all my sparring with Toph and if this kept up…I might actually be able to do something of use.

I had to admit, I was grateful to Toph's excellent shopping skills. She made a fugitive's life far more palatable. Of course, if she hadn't have ruined the entire trip, I could have also had a bath. Still, all the food she had purchased would make excellent meals for the journey, and it was more than I had gotten used to expecting. I decided not to look down at the little village from my vantage point. Why moon over the bath I couldn't have?

After piling up the wood into a neat pile and bending a proper fire, I began feeding our animals. I preferred riding the ostrich-horse, as it allowed me more maneuverability. I allowed my uncle to ride the more stable rhino with Toph. So no one could say I wasn't thoughtful or generous. Within a few moments, both were comfortable nibbling on the grass and drinking the water I had offered. "Shh…" I soothed. I understand animals much better than I understood people.

Uncle had been having a low conversation with Toph, who seemed very depressed. I debated coming over and asking her what the matter was, but knowing Toph, she'd throw a boulder at me. I was angry enough without being stoned.

"How about a nice hot meal? After all the excitement of the day, I could surely use one," Uncle boomed, sounding far too happy for such a horrible day. He climbed up from the grass and stretched. "I'll put up a nice stew? This place is very nice. The mountain air is good and fresh and clear. Perhaps we could spend the night," he asked.

"Fine," I muttered. "Just for tonight. We need to get going to the next city." Not that three fugitives had much safe haven, but I would rather the Earth kingdom army not be after us.

Toph growled and folded her arms, the sun creating shadows over her face. "Are you finished sulking, Angst-boy? I said I was sorry," she demanded. "You could actually talk to me."

"I have nothing to say to you," I hissed, angrier with myself more than her. I just wanted some peace. I knew it was only a matter of time before I was found out, but one more night would have been nice. I wasn't too pleased with myself about letting her get caught. It was my responsibility to see to their well-being and safety. I had almost lost Uncle once, I had lost everyone else I had ever cared about. Mother…Lu Ten…Aunt Lien…I wasn't keen on losing anyone else.

Besides, it would be hard to go back to Uncle alone when I had gotten used to my sparring partner. I wasn't sure what else to call her. She was someone I didn't hate. I just wasn't sure how to say that properly without sounding weak.

"Listen Mopey, I've earned more then that. I'm paying for this little joyride and I'm the one training you. Show some respect before I beat it into you," Toph said, leaping to her feet. Two large stones left up at her comment.

"Hmm…I have an egg, a radish and some tea leaves left in this food bag," Uncle said, not paying attention to our bickering. "How proper."

"Uncle, this isn't the time," I snapped, having already sunk into a combative pose, breathing in to create some fire. I was not about to be insulted by some kid half my size!

"What are you talking about, Uncle? Maybe you should worry about your nephew's lack of brain power instead of our food," Toph demanded, shoving hair over her eyes.

"You two can yell in a moment. I want you to notice something. Sit down, neither of you are going anywhere Now…tell me what you see?" Uncle directed, sitting on the stump with an air of amusement.

"An egg, a radish and some tea leaves, near a pot of boiling water. A new kind of omelet?" I muttered, rolling my eyes. Why did my uncle often discuss nonsense.

"Sad to say, but I agree with Angst-Pants," Toph said, after spitting on the ground to indicate her distaste for me. Girls are crazy!

Uncle leaned back and sighed. "Children, open your eyes to the symbolism. The boiling water represents life's hardships," he said, dropping the vegetable inside. "The radish went in firm and strong, but the water will render it soft, weak, and mushy."

"The egg, on the other hand, was once fluid in its shell. Though outwardly it looks the same, the interior has hardened. Adversity has changed both those two." I didn't need a wise teacher to tell me what that meant. Being unlucky had made me strong though.

"The egg is strong and the radish was weak. Is that what you are trying to tell us?" I demanded, watching the sky darken above me. I was already feeling weaker with my solar power source.

"No. The egg has merely hardened itself against trauma, but it has not reached the strength it could," Uncle answered serenely, looking very sage for an old man discussing food.

"What about the crumbly leaves?" Toph asked, narrowing her blank eyes curiously. She seemed calmer at the discussion, which made me feel slightly better. I really didn't want her angry, I had enough of a headache. She was more pleasant to be around when she was her normal sadistic self.

"The leaves have changed the boiling water into a savory, aromatic tea!" Uncle said happily. I couldn't resist the urge to smirk slightly. Only my uncle could apply the meaning of life (and everything else) to tea. "The tea has changed adversity to bring out the best, has changed the adversity into triumph."

Toph and I remained quiet for a long while. I wasn't entirely sure what Uncle meant, but I had to admit, the story did calm me down slightly. Toph was looking rather thoughtful herself…or so I thought. I could never read people's emotions well.

"So, Sparky, Uncle, what do you Fire Folk do for fun besides sparring?" Toph asked, stretching out her short limbs.

"Never thought you would get tired of sparring," I snipped, but there wasn't much malice in my voice.

"Toph shows great wisdom in this. The founder of our line, Fire Lord Divda was both a warrior and a poet. A love of art and music is a sign of a well-balanced mind," Uncle corrected regally, in a tone that promised something I would have to repress. He was stirring the soup nostalgically. "In Zuko and my earlier travels, we had a tradition called…music night." Yes, there would definitely have to be some repression. "We would sing all night."

"Sounds nice," Toph said, as she took a ladled bowl of soup. "I don't suppose you ever sang 'Blame the Fire Dragon', did you?" she asked, her voice turning mischievous.

Uncle, who was ladling out my portion of the spicy-smelling dinner reddened and nearly dropped his plate when he heard the title of the song. "No, we didn't," he said, looking a bit embarrassed.

"What's this song?" I asked, taking the bowl before it fell out off his hands. Somehow, this promised to be interesting.

"It's a song I learned from the maids back at home. I don't have my koto but I don't think this is a song that needs it," Toph said, her smile getting more mischievous.

"You play music?" I asked. I couldn't imagine this rough girl doing anything more refined than spitting and fighting. In the light of the fire, I had noticed that her posture was surprisingly perfect. She was such a creature of contradictions.

"Yes, Sparky. My parents had me schooled in etiquette, music, history, memorization of poetry, and a number of other subjects. I could pass as one of you fancy folks any time I want. I just choose not to."

"Well…I must say I haven't heard that song in a long time…I suppose I can hear it again," Uncle said quietly. It might have been the firelight but his cheeks were definitely pink.

Toph smiled. "My pleasure." With great flourish, she cleared her throat and began singing, surprisingly on pitch and melodically. "Back in his land, he liked the dames, the charming heir to the flames/Led the ladies to great shames, and set all tongue's a waggin'" she began in a lively tone, as she tapped out the beat with her foot. "Hello to you and merry meet, you are so young and very sweet/To be with me would be a treat, for I am the Western Dragon."

I couldn't believe someone had the nerve to write such blasphemous words about my beloved uncle who was a happily married family man. To my horror, Uncle was joining in, laughing merrily. "He is young, and fancy free, a man as ever you'd see;  
Prince of the land, he'll say to thee, 'Come sit with the Western Dragon,'"

"I hope you found the person who wrote this and hung him up by his own entrails," I muttered, feeling fiercely protective of my family's honor. How dare anyone dare speak such lies?

Uncle blushed and tried to hide his smile. "Actually, this song was my fault. Your Aunt Lien wrote it," he said, his eyes misting over a bit.

"Aunt Lien?" The prim and proper future Consort who spent her time sewing and feeding me sweets was no hoyden who would write such drivel!

"Oh yes, she was a feisty one. We used to argue all the time in the early days of our marriage and she always kept me one my toes."

"Sounds like my type of person," Toph said with an evil smile.

"She was…a very special person. Well…back to the story. Our first year of marriage, I forgot her birthday. I was busy at battle!" Uncle defended. "So she wrote this song and had it published in the Earth Kingdom. Needless to say…I never forgot again," he said with a smile.

I remained quiet, lost in the thoughts of how much I didn't know about my own family. There was a long and awkward pause, as Uncle and I just sipped quietly at our soup.

"Shall we continue with music night?" Toph asked, obviously sensing the tension in the moment.

For some reason, I was grateful for that. "Sure."

_When he is drunk, he's quite a lout,_

_Just give him some sake, and without a doubt/_

_His breath will kill his enemy out, and give them all a raggin'_

_Earth Captains go away and their wives get in the family way/_

_And all the words that they will say is "Blame the Fire Dragon."_

---------------------

"Keep those knees up, Sparky. If I can't smell you a mile away, you aren't sweating enough," came the voice of my new pint-sized teacher on our fifth day in the mountains. Disturbingly early every morning, Toph would awaken us in her usual cheerful way. After we did our chores, Toph would train me in Earth style, which always left me bruised.

"Breathe deeply, the Fire Style comes from the breath and not the muscle. Conserve your energy!" Uncle exhorted both us during our training sessions. After a short break for lunch, Uncle would relentlessly drill us in fire-bending style, speeding us through the various movements. Although Toph had some disadvantages in the style, she picked them up easily. We repeated punching, kicking and leaping styles, fighting each other in sparring matches. Not surprisingly, Uncle decided to spend a few days here. The mountains were as safe as possible, all the stone would make a horrible surprise for anyone trying to attack. Toph would see to that.

"Go for another head-strike!" I commanded during the third lesson of the day, blocking one of Toph's swings. After another break for some rest, Toph and I practiced with light wooden stick-swords, before resting and bathing in the creek. I had to say, the thought of reaching Ba Xing Xe made me glad for the delay. Toph said she planned to join the army there, but I had no idea what two exiled Fire Princes would do there, besides decorate the gibbet?

Toph had bent a passable two-room shelter for us. We placed blankets on the floor for furniture and a fire was never lacking in the makeshift chimney. We tried to keep the rations for later and so relied on berries, fish from the river and the more perishable foods. We also had new clothing to change, which meant doing laundry, something none of us were very good at. In short, life consisted of breakfast, bending and bed. Comfort had never been so much of a prison.

And so the cycle continued. I had just woken up from a comfortable sleep by an overly enthusiastic Toph, who had promised to make my training even harder today. I had told her to bring it on. I was in exile, my life didn't have much importance.

I was in charge of making congee, since it was one of the few dishes I could make without ruining the food. As I stirred the sticky rice mixture, I watched Toph bend the dirt off our clothing and Uncle brew our morning tea, a task he forbade me doing. A prince…lowered to this.

I was about to mutter angrily under my breath when Toph suddenly jumped up. "Someone's coming," she hissed, her arms outstretched to deliver some damage.

"How many? How far away?" I had my swords out. I couldn't let people know we were fire-benders, but no one was going to hurt my friends and survive.

"We will not be able to hide the camp well, if they get too close," Uncle said worriedly, as he picked up the ax Toph had purchased him. From the outside, we looked like a normal Earth-bending family. We just happened to be so much more.

"One rider, riding a rhino pretty hard," Toph said, putting her hand to the ground. Nothing we shouldn't be able to take out," she said softly. "I'm not too worried. Let's just watch him to see if he's a spy."

We killed the fires and waited quietly for the intruder to come. In some ways, I was excited to finally face someone. My life in the mountains had been boring, demeaning, and beneath me. Now, I truly faced a challenge. I planned to put all my training to work.

Toph was surprisingly calm. It amazed how well she kept her composure in such trying circumstances. I had to say, for an Earth girl, she had the spirit of a Fire Bender. I was impressed by her. She wasn't completely worthless, something most people couldn't boast.

"Prince Zuko!" a voice called out from the distance. I stiffened, panicking at the use of my real name? Toph was at my side and Uncle across from me. Who else knew me?

It was Baraz, that oaf from the town. His clothing was covered with blood, making him seem even more disgusting. Yet, something about the frantic look on his face told me he hadn't been butchering animals for meat and decided to just take a ride about on the rhino Uncle had sold him.

We waited for him to approach our secluded hideaway, a dark mood shattering our sanctuary. The moment the wretch reached up us, he threw himself off the beast and at our feet. "Prince Zuko, you must help us!" he pleaded.

"What happened?" Uncle said, standing up. Most people would have thought Uncle relaxed, but I could see the lines of tension in the lines of his jaw and the rigidity of his spine.

"A girl…a demon…calls herself Princess Azula came to the village on some sort of lizard. She killed twenty people with lightning. Then she said we had to find you. You have to come back and stop her; she said she'll kill out the village if you don't come back. I tracked you as best I could, the trail was barely fresh," he said. "I have a wife and children, don't let them die!"

"This could be a trick," Uncle warned. "His tracking skills aren't unbelievable but I would be careful."

Toph shook her head. "He's telling the truth. Still, not our problem. Sounds like a trap to me. You said Fire Bitch is wily. I say we get out of here," she said, going for the belongings.

"I won't let Azula kill innocent people. You and Uncle go on ahead. I'll deal with her," I said softly. These people were suffering because of me. I was not about to let that happen. Perhaps Toph's training would be enough to allow me an edge against my "perfect" sister.

"They threw us out. I say we ditch them like they deserve," Toph said, her hair falling into her eyes.

"Please, great lady. If you don't save us, who will? Have mercy!" Baraz howled, falling out our feet.

"I said I'll do it," I muttered angrily. "You don't have to get involved." The only way I could protect my friends was to take out Azula, one way or another.

"Not a chance. If you go, we go. Right, Uncle?" Toph said, sounding far too sure of herself for a twelve year old. Azula would tear her apart and it would be all my fault! She grabbed some jars and tossed it into her pack.

Uncle nodded. "I think a family discussion needs all of the family." I was not about to risk my beloved uncle in this dog-fight.

"Someone needs to stand here with the supplies. You and Uncle are doing it. I have spoken!" I snapped, falling back on old habits. Until the age of fourteen, most people had to obey my every word. I had to say, I had liked that.

"Shut it, Angst-pants. I'm not some housewife who sits with the produce. We are coming with you. Not up for discussion. Now, shut up and think about how we are going to send your psycho sister crying back home to Mama." I managed to hide my wince…barely. My mother was dead and my family wanted me to join her.

"We'll never get there in time," Uncle said worriedly as he looked at our animals, well rested. "It took Baraz hours to get here, and he is exhausted. By the time we get there, we'll be in no condition to fight."

"That's why you shouldn't be going," I protested, feeling myself being overruled. I didn't like that feeling!

"Let me take care of that. Baraz will watch our stuff and make sure nothing is missing," Toph said, giving the already frightened man a white-eyed stare. "Get behind me and grab my waist," she directed, bending a mound of earth.

"What are you…" I asked, before Toph grabbed my hand and pulled me close. Uncle was holding her on the other side. This wasn't going to be good! As the earth below me opened, my body, especially my stomach dropped. Definitely not good.

Okay-Next chapter is 90 percent written and will be up soon, having a huge twist, Azula will bring a nasty surprise and Zuko will lose someone close to him.


	10. Fragile

_This chapter would not have been possible without Ardy1, an incredible writer in her own right who shared her wisdom with me, Loveroftheflame's genius advice, coupled with kindness and support and Spleef, my favorite big sister. Okay, what you have all been waiting for, a huge battle, Zuko loses someone close and blood is shed. Special thanks to K-Sama and Kishi, my K-arate kids for martial arts consult. Well, enough chatter, time for some fun!_

Fragile 

Perhaps this final act was meant

To clinch a lifetimes argument

That nothing comes from violence and nothing ever could

For all those born beneath an angry star

Lest we forget how fragile we are

-----------

I hate closed small closed spaces. I especially hated places that were dark and damp, so traveling through a mountain was not exactly my favorite way to get around. Of course, since when had the Gods ever made things easy for me? I was still clutching on to Toph's waist tightly, which was humiliating enough. I tried to rationalize that this was for Toph's protection, but still felt weak relying on her. I loosened up my grip on her.

"Hang tight, Sparky. I'd hate to lose you to a falling rock," Toph said, directing me to hold on to her more tightly by moving my arm around her waist. Okay, I could justify this by saying she wanted my protection. Of course, the day Toph needed my protection was the day Azula was kind to animals.

"Save your strength, Toph. One must not fill up on bread and have no room for meat," Uncle proverbed. I felt a slight rumbling under our feet before we got moving. As much as I was mortified, I clung to Toph for dear life. I thought I could handle anything after being aboard a ship for so long. I thought I was impervious to discomfort or uneasy movement. Apparently not. "First we must have a plan!"

"I think we should just go up and skewer the bitch," Toph yelled savagely over the separating rocks in front of us. Of course, Toph's plans for everything. It just wasn't that easy.

I rolled my eyes. "Azula is the best warrior in my kingdom. She's a fire bending prodigy. You've seen her fight. She won't be taken down easy."

"Don't worry about me, Sparky. I've taken down worse." Toph brushed my comment aside with one of her usual overly confident remarks. She was far too innocent.

"We should get a good look at the town before we blindly charge into battle, Toph," Uncle Iroh yelled back to her. "And we will need a plan."

The three of us blasted down the mountain in relative silence, since the sound of blasting rocks made conversation tough. I was still hating it down below the earth, firebenders needed the sun to thrive, not utter darkness. I knew darkness far too well.

Of course, the fire waiting for me was something to make me want to stay underground. I had spent nearly every moment since Toph had joined our merry band of fugitives training. Uncle and Toph had pushed me through drills until I had been too tired to move, forcing me up to keep mastering every position. But would it be enough to face my sister? Everything I ever threw at her had been blocked effortlessly, everything came easily to her, school work, bending, martial arts, father's love, public speaking, it was like I was…cursed.

She had always been cruel. I could remember the way she threw food to the little turtle ducks on the pond. It was more like target practice to her, she would giggle as she tried to peg them and make them drown. She would laugh as she tripped me and got into trouble. She would lie and she would laugh when I believed her. She would laugh when people were hurt. Out of the corner of my eye, before my world went dark at the Agni Kai, I saw her laughing.

Now my sister had taken innocent people prisoner just to get me. Uncle had said she was insane and that she had to be taken down. Of course, that was easier said that done.

A blast of daylight seared my eyes as we escaped the mountain's hold. As Uncle and I blinked rapidly to acclimate ourselves back to the light, I could feel the pressure and tension around us build. "Here we are," Toph chirped, obviously not affected by the sudden shift of darkness to light. Oh yes…

"Toph, Azula is a trained warrior. Her attacks are so fast, few can see them coming," Uncle began, trying to approach the subject gently.

"I studied fire bending stances with Sparky," Toph said stiffly, as she crushed a boulder angrily.

"This means you will be able to sense the stance in which Azula stands in. You might be able to predict what attacks might come from the stance," Uncle tried to continue.

"So what's the problem? I have our secret weapon and I'm the best Earthbender in the world," Toph yawned.

"The problem is, can you sense aerial attacks being thrown fast enough to block them? Azula's favorite attacks are always from the air," I snapped, having been forced to watch my sister develop her fighting craft.

"According to Baraz, Azula is alone. There's three of us. So we just make sure that when Fire Bitch leaps into the air, she has nothing to calm down to," Toph said, looking unperturbed by our warnings. "Then we put the plan into action. Remember what we discussed last week."

Oh, I remembered, she had made me demonstrate this drill thirty-two times until I had thrown up my breakfast. She had said I wasted too much energy. I vowed to get strong enough to waste her. " Be quick and accurate. Hit a series of points, and break your opponent's stance. And when she's reeling back, you deliver the final blow Her own weight becomes her downfall," I recited back to her.

"Exactly! That's the plan. We chip away at the princess till we are ready to season her. Now, enough chatter, let's get moving," Toph said, looking eager for a fight.  
It wasn't hard to see the direction we were heading. The once-pleasant looking town had smoke billowing above it, a dark canopy of cruelty. My nose twitched at the horrible smell in the air. Growing up in the Fire Nation, it was one I knew all too well, the stench of burning flesh.

Uncle's face was taut with disappointment, his usual genial good spirits fading into a look of fury. We passed buildings that were black with soot, broken and destroyed, licked by tongues of fire and nearly devoured. "I can feel a lot of scared people," Toph whispered, even her face looking worried.

We met the reason to worry a second later. Sitting on a komodo lizard with, herding a knot of terrified people was my precious baby sister.

"Hello Zuzu," Azula smirked, as she shot a fireball at the huddled crowd of frightened villagers. "Nice to see you haven't lost that need to stand up for the downtrodden. How predictable."

"Azula…so good of you to join us. To what do we owe the pleasure of your…delightful company?" Uncle asked, his voice forcefully cheery.

"Father wants me to prune the edges on the family tree, get rid of the dead weight...starting with you," Azula sneered. "And seeing how soft you got, there's plenty to get rid of."

I saw charred bodies all around us. She had…"These people were innocent!" I howled in a blind rage.

"I waited a long time, Zu-Zu and got bored. You shouldn't have kept me waiting," Azula said softly, twisting a lock of hair around her finger. She looked like a demon in the glinting sun.

"It's us you want, Fire Bitch. So let the people go," Toph said, her hands curled ready for an attack. I was struck anew by how tiny she was. I had this overwhelming urge to stand in front of her.

"And I see you've a new addition to your pathetic parade. Wherever did you find such a well trained mole, Zuzu?" Azula sneered. "And a blind one too. She's perfect for you, never seeing Daddy's little goodbye present."

"Better a mole than an ostrich-ass. I don't need to see to know how ugly you are, Fire Bitch," Toph retorted, her eyes narrowing hatefully. "Daddy need you to do his dirty work? You his new messenger girl? Shows how much he values you."

"Silence, mole. I don't believe I was speaking to you. You should train your pets better, Zuzu. Such insolence...but then again, you never did know when to keep silent did you?" Azula hissed, her eyes darkening as she unleashed a bolt of lightning in my direction.

This time, Azula would not get the better of me. Moving into the position Uncle had taught me, I sunk low and concentrated on allowing the energy to travel through my fingers. It was a strange feeling, the living embodiment of Azula's hatred in my body. Yet, for some reason, knowing Toph had gotten to her allowed me to let it travel through my stomach.

With a long breath, I redirected the lightning through my fingers and back to Azula. The look of shock on her face was priceless. To my utter delight, she was forced off her komodo lizard in order to duck the lightning. Landing on the ground, she would be perfect prey for Toph's earth-based attacks. Three against one wasn't fair odds, but since when had Azula played fair? "You've been studying, Zuzu," she called out mockingly. "I'm proud."

Of course, Azula had had the komodo lizard trained in combat. The moment she dismounted, it charged straight for Toph. Of course, the kid had already sensed the creatures movements and was preparing a counterattack. Still, Toph was rather small and might not be able to evade in time.

As I moved to take care of the beast, a large blue fireball came out of nowhere knocking me off my feet. "Is Zuzu worried about his pet mole?" Azula asked, shooting another dart of fire at me. "You are still letting your pathetic attachment to those beneath you get you into trouble. I should have thought you'd have learned better by now. I shall have to tell Father you were disappointing to the very end."

The ground beneath Azula erupted just as the final words came out. On anyone else, it would have been a finishing blow. Of course, my perfect sister leapt and tumbled gracefully, and punched out as she stood. I ducked to avoid a stream of blue fire and remembered the stances Toph had taught me. After facing down boulders, it seemed easy to split the fires.

"Azula, have I told you why I am called the Dragon of the West?" Uncle suddenly called out, having made sure Toph had submerged the lizard. I smiled, knowing the answer to that question.

Before my sister could answer, Uncle opened his mouth to let loose a inferno of fire, a stream of heat headed straight to my sister. She leapt to the side effortlessly, ready to throw back some flaming darts. The problem was the jagged stones Toph raised were ready for her, a deadly sharp skewer. My sister was forced to flip backwards and landed, her face still and controlled.

"Three against one, how honorable of you," Azula mocked. "But what would traitors know of honor?" she said, her eyes falling on Toph. With a flying leap, she jumped into the air and kicked a stream of fire at Toph. Toph could hear the blast, but it was coming too fast, she wouldn't be able to block it!" I rushed forward, ready to defend my friend.

Luckily, Toph quickly shielded herself in a stone shell, which the blast rattled. Azula smirked. "Come out, come out, little mole," Azula called, throwing attacks at Toph, who tried vainly to dodge. Azula was too quick, too aerial for Toph.

Every time she landed, Azula merely leapt up again into the air, catching on quickly to Toph's strength. Toph barely had a chance to dodge before another blow came.

Even when Toph bent stone walls around Azula, too high for her to leap out of, Azula easily blasted out of them, laughing. "Is that the best you can do, mole?"

"LEAVE HER ALONE," I shouted, righteous fury filling me. No one would hurt Toph while I was around. Using an earth-bending stance she had taught me, I brought up a wall of fire at Azula's feet to try to get her to back off.

Azula jumped back to avoid the searing blockade and by then, I had stepped in front of Toph. "It's me, you want," I said as I sank down to kneeling stance and punched, sending flames along the barren ground.

Toph nodded weakly, remembering the plan. As Azula again leapt out of the way, more jagged spikes of earth shot and rose to greet her with an encouraging grumble. Another blast of fire from Uncle harried again into the air. Keep Azula in the air and she would tire quickly.

Azula was not easy to tire, effortlessly leaping without a rest, throwing balls of fire at them. Toph had moved back to a defensive position, making sure Azula couldn't land well and allowing Uncle and I to trade fire.

After a few seconds of this, Azula kicked out a arc of blue fire racing again to Toph. "Behind you, shield up!" I shouted to my friend.

There was a sickening crack as Azula's fire made contact with the shield, crumbling it to the ground and hitting Toph. I rushed over her, as Uncle leapt forward with his surprising agility to meet his niece.

I cradled Toph's head in my arms as Uncle and Azula exchanged swift blows, before retreating into defensive positions. "You okay?" I asked gruffly, wishing I could go help my uncle.

"I'll live. Your sister hits hard. Is she even human?" Toph asked, looking a bit dazed. "I think she needs a drink. I'm going under…cover me."

I nodded and shielded Toph with my body, till she sank beneath the ground. She knew what she was doing, it was time I helped Uncle.

I arrived just in time to get a back-hand from Azula for my trouble. Even as I stumbled, I made sure to control my fall. Thanking Agni for my uncle's teaching, I managed to absorb the fall on my side and turned it into a kick.

To my surprise, I managed to catch her leg, giving Uncle the chance to give to attack Azula. Despite my Uncle's best efforts to land a blow, Azula quickly deflected each blow, and returned with a flurry of her own. I fixed my fingers into the praying mantis hook, to create a whip of fire, straight for Azula's eyes. As I moved, I felt a pain in my solar plexus from a hard jab. Uncle launched another attack at Azula, allowing me a chance to get away.

Azula smiled as she sparred. "So brave, Uncle. I'll make sure I tell Father how big your final words were," she said as she aimed a strike at him.

From behind, with a large crack, Toph shoot out of the ground like a geyser, covering Azula with the contents of the jar. "Choke on that, bitch!"

Uncle and I backed away, as per the plan. Azula smiled predatorily, though an ugly look had entered her eyes. "You think some water will stop me?" she said, as she formed a fire in her hand. "I shall enjoy this."

I watched as the ground pulled away from Azula, leaving her on an island of earth...all alone.

A look of complete terror filled Azula's eyes for an eternal second before a whoosh of fire enveloped her. It was as if time had slowed down. It was bigger than any flame that I had ever seen, a towering inferno of heat. "That is no mole, Azula. That is your downfall," Uncle said coldly. Firebenders could not control fires fed by liquids…like sake.

I remembered how hot fire was. I remembered watching my own doom fly out of my father's hand and creep towards me. I remembered my own element eating me, hurting me, devouring me. I watched the fire begin to consume her body. Her white skin was rapidly reddening, darkening, eating away at her.

Azula was screaming, which was tearing into my flesh. She writhed in pain, trying to escape. "Brother, you are all I have. Zuko, I'm your_ sister_!" she was calling, pleading, begging for her big brother to protect her. "Save me and I'll get Father to restore your honor!"

"Don't listen to her lies. Azula just wants to take you down with her," Uncle said firmly.

I wanted to go to her. I was her brother, her flesh, her blood. Yet, the sight of all those bodies, she'd kill so many more people if I didn't let her go. I had to do something. I just didn't know what.

My feet felt stuck to the ground. How could I be so cold-hearted as to just watch my sister die? I wanted to walk – no, run - away. I couldn't stand this screaming anymore, this feeling of guilt!  
Toph tugged at my sleeve. "Zuko, she's poison. Trust me. Look away," she said softly, her voice crackling into my mind. But I just couldn't tear my eyes from the horrible sight and smell. I couldn't believe what I had done. It was so removed from sense of my own reality.

"Zuko..." Uncles' voice rang out from behind me, "Close your eyes. You…can't help her anymore. This… _ending_…is necessary." Even his voice sounded like it was cracking. "Azula has brought this upon herself."

A piercing shriek filled the air, and I swore I heard words in it, pleading for my help. "Zuko…please, I'm sorry. Please, make it stop, it hurts." Azula was still screaming, the smell of burnt flesh hitting the nostrils like a battle ram. The frightened people were huddled together, too frightened to move as well.

"Zuko, she's not your family anymore. We are!" Toph said, yanking at my hand. In my daze, I knew my sister's blood would be on my hands soon. But she had been sent to kill me. It was self-defense. I had to keep telling myself that.

Uncle held my shoulders. "Zuko, we need to go. Soldiers could be here at any moment. You would be arrested for murder and executed," he commanded, tugging me back.

I just watched, allowing the acrid smoke to choke me. I had killed my own sister. My father and mother would never forgive me. I had slain my own flesh and blood.

"Sparky, come on, Uncle's right. We need to leave," Toph said in a low voice, sounding angry. "She's not worth it."

"I can't," I whispered, feeling the hot sun beat down on me. I felt so lost, so numb, so…confused. I should be crying, but I wasn't. I should be cheering, but I wasn't. I was just there.

"Uncle, you know what to do!" Toph said in an angry tone that didn't bode well for anyone, and certainly not for my safety. "You promised!"

"Nephew, this is for your own good" I heard my uncle say, as I felt a sure touch on the back of my neck. I welcomed the darkness.

-----------------

Darkness was nice. You didn't have pain, or guilt or regret or anger. You just floated in delicious emptiness. No one could hate you there. No one could blame you there. In that darkness, I was safe.

That ended when I opened my eyes. I had to face the fact that I had murdered my sister. I wasn't sure if I should be happy that the enemy who had tried to kill me was dead or mourn the loss of one of the last members of my family.

I should feel horrible for what I did. Fratricide, the killing of one's sibling, considered the lowest crime. Yet, I felt only relief knowing she was gone. She couldn't lie to me. She couldn't hurt anyone anymore. It was the only way. I knew that there was no way we could share existence or a crown. It was her… or me.

I doubted my father would think the same way.

The people I cared about most had killed her. I wouldn't be able to save them from my father. Anyway, I had helped them. I was equally guilty. I would never regain my honor now.

Each thought was like a fresh burn into my very flesh.

As I sat up, I felt two arms grab my waist and hug me close. "Sparky, just let it go," Toph said, squeezing me tight. She had been sitting next to me the entire time. "She won't hurt anyone ever again."

"I know." But that didn't bring me peace. I was still feeling dirty. I was no better than my sister. I had blood on my hands, and all I could honestly feel were the edges of relief that she was finally gone. I shouldn't be feeling this way!

"Zuko, we won. You are safe now. No one is ever going to hurt you or Uncle while I'm around. We did what we had to," Toph tried to soothe me.

Azula had never comforted me. She had laughed at my pain.

"She's dead," I repeated blankly. I still felt so unclean. My hands were so bloody. How could I ever face my parents after what I did? I got up to go wash in the creek until I felt clean. That might take a while.

"Yeah, we know. So relax, you aren't going anywhere. Uncle went outside to cook some food for you." Toph's voice was even and smooth as she anchored me in place.

"Leave me alone. I don't want food," I said bitterly, hating the world. I was grateful that my own flesh and blood was dead!

I didn't deserve such a nice person helping me. _Of course, that nice person had provided the catalyst for the flame, a quiet voice inside my head reminded me._

"Sparky…we did what we had to. This isn't your fault. Blame me if it makes you feel better, but I am not letting go," Toph said in a firm tone, moving close to me. "You need us."

"Leave me alone!" I just couldn't deal with her kindness anymore or the memory of her role in that deathShe narrowly ducked a blast of fire from me. I had missed by a long shot.

"Don't make me knock you out again. I'll be happy to grind you into the ground if you need some brains knocked into you," Toph snapped, rocks flying into the air at her command. "If fighting will help you get over this, I'm happy to help." Azula would have hit me, just to see me bleed.

"I don't want to fight. I want to be alone," I said. I could never hurt Toph. She was…what I wish Azula had been. This Earth girl meant more to me than my own sister _and had helped me kill my sister – how I hated that other voice inside me_.

What a traitor I was.

"Uncle always lets you sulk in the dark, but not me. Now you are going to face this guilt head on if I have to drag you through it. Now, let it out!" my friend snapped, still holding on to my waist like a barnacle.

"You want me to let it out? Fine! You convinced me to kill my sister!" I snappped, hanging my head. "This was your plan!"

"Fine. You want to give me the credit of saving all our lives? I am fine with that," Toph said in a low tone, not letting go. "I killed her to stop her from taking you and Uncle away from me. You mean a lot to us both and we had to stop her. Get over it. War is brutal. You should know that. A hundred years of war made killing a reality. So just suck it up and take it!" Toph demanded, her blind eyes boring into me.

"I've had to suck it up and take it my whole life," I muttered. I was just so frustrated with every member of my family being taken from me. I just wanted a nice normal family, one that loved each other. Okay, so maybe they ruled the world by day, but they played Pai Sho together by night! Was it so hard to comprehend? "I know that killing is needed. I've seen enough people in my family disappear!"

"You still have us, Sparky. Either you trust us, or you don't! Uncle and I care about you! We are your family! So you better trust us to have your back and make the right choices. We killed Azula because we had no other option. So just stop blaming any of us and move on!"

"Just go away," I demanded, feeling my chest heavy with pain. I was too confused to contemplate her words.

"Why are you so angry? She was trying to _kill_ you. She stole your place for the throne. She made your life miserable!" Toph snapped, sounding like she was losing her temper as well.

"I _killed_ my sister. Don't you get it? I killed my own flesh and blood and I _should_ feel like scum! Why does this always happen to me?" I shouted, aggravated and sick with myself.

"What other choice did you have? Were you going to invite her to tea? Even Uncle wouldn't do that!" Toph retorted, her arms still clutching me.

"You don't understand," I shouted, unable to answer the question properly! I pounded the walls instead, another wall in my way. It still didn't make me feel better. "No one understands."

"Uncle's broken up about it too. It's okay to feel upset," Toph whispered, pulling me closer to her. It was not okay to show weakness! Still, her embrace was strangely not unpleasant. Normally, I hated it when people touched me. I was royalty and not used to such familiarity. Yet, it felt good not to be completely alone. "I'm a good listener."

I found myself slumping into her small frame. "Why did it have to come down to one of us dying?" I asked, trying to choke back any sign of weakness. I ignited small flares between my fingers to let off steam.

"Because, Sparky, she's been evil for so long, she wasn't even human anymore. Uncle told me all about her. Zuko, she would have continued destroying people," Toph whispered as she laid her head on my shoulder. Weirdly, I continued to allow the close personal contact. "Zuko, I know she was your sister. But even family can't always be what we want them to be. My father... well let's just say my father could never accept me the way I was either. Sometimes the people who are supposed to love us, just don't know how. Or in the case of your sister, just _can't_."

"My mother always told me to try and see the best in her," I whispered. I had not even spoken about my mother to Uncle. It had always hurt too much.

"Your mother sounded like an amazing woman," Toph said softly. "But your sister was a freak. She killed people for fun. I'm only an only child but that isn't how a sister acts," she instructed. "She didn't deserve your mercy.

"I know," I whispered, still numb and angry inside. I had finally won. I should be laughing at that, enjoying the moment that I had beat my prodigy sister. I hadn't laughed in a while. Nothing seemed to make me happy.

"I wish I had loved her, but I didn't. Maybe if I had, she might have loved me back," I mumbled, caught between guilty regret and rational awareness that I was speaking nonsense. Toph didn't bother to dignify my comment with more than an angry snort. "Well, what do you know, anyway? It might have happened like that. She might have loved me," I pressed my hands against my eyes, reality asserting itself. "Who do I think I'm kidding? Azula never loved me."

"But…there's someone who really does love you," Toph said softly, as we lay next to each other. I was too numb to talk. "Uncle is worried about you. I hate seeing him like this. He's so upset."

"I...I don't...just leave me alone…" I begged. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't face my uncle right now. My brain couldn't process anything anymore, still trying to accept the fact that I was an only child again. I honestly couldn't remember such a thing; Azula had been there for as long as I could remember. I just couldn't handle this anymore. I felt like I was choking. I wouldn't let Toph see me break down anymore! "Toph, please. Just go away," I said, unsure if I hated my friend or myself more.

Toph sighed and stood up, before patting my shoulder. "I'll go. But this conversation is not over yet, Zuko. I know what it means to be alone, and you need to stop moping. But I'll give you some time to get it. Then you move on." I didn't even bother responding. I just curled up into a ball of misery, ignoring her.

There was nothing left to do or say. What would my mother say? How could I ever hope to win back Father's love? I'd committed fratricide, the lowest sin of all. Killing my own flesh and blood. I felt the scar on my face. For the first time since I met Toph, I began again to believe I deserved it.

_ANI said someone close, but did anyone think I would kill Iroh? I'm not that mean. Next chapter, the chips fall into place and Zuko deals with his new family. Don't worry, I have a great story ahead, this is leading somewehre. _

_This chapter would not have been possible without Ardy1, an incredible writer in her own right who shared her wisdom with me, Loveroftheflame's genius advice, coupled with kindness and support and Spleef, my favorite big sister. Okay, what you have all been waiting for, a huge battle, Zuko loses someone close and blood is shed. Special thanks to K-Sama and Kishi, my K-arate kids for martial arts consult. Well, enough chatter, time for some fun!_


	11. We Are

Okay, chapter 11. A transition chapter for the next major arc of the story. Sorry for the delay, but I had a lot on my plate. And more bad news, I will be going to Oxford University in England on Monday for six weeks. So no writing till I get home, though I will be able to get your reviews and enjoy them. I will miss you all! I do have this story planned out through the first book, so you will be getting a round story. And yes, this chapter does have a cliffie, I'm just evil. Well, enough yapping, let's see what happens. Special thanks to Loveroftheflame and Spleef for betaing, love ya both!

What about the world today

What about the place that we call home

We've never been so many

And we've never been so alone

-Ana Johnsson "We Are"

----------------------------------------------

"He's… still depressed," I sighed, feeling the ground below my feet shudder with sadness. I had just left the cave, giving up for now on making Sparky smile. The night was so peaceful and quiet. All I could feel was the warmth of the fire, crackling away on the wood Zuko had gathered and heating a special kind of stew Uncle was making. I loved our home.

Uncle's heartbeat was still relaxed, but his breathing was a little off. He sounded very tired. "I don't like seeing him this way," he said gravely, as I heard him stir the soup. "He is very precious to me, more precious than I can even say."

"Yeah. Zuko's lucky to have someone like you," I muttered, wondering how that Fire Bitch could have been blessed with such nice relatives. My parents were just… blinder than I am.

" I was afraid I would lose my nephew today. You were right, I do need him," Uncle confessed, his voice growing closer to me as I stood before him. "Can you pass me the ginger?"

"Zuko told me about your son. You must miss him so much," I said, listening to how his heartbeat began to shift. I easily found the spice by smell and I liked helping Uncle cook. A cool night wind fell on my back, making me feel the sadness even more. I always wondered why the wind sounded so sad, whistling through the air like an orphaned animal searching for its mother.

"I miss him more than the earth misses the sun. When I lost him, I thought I would never be happy again. I would give my life just to hold him again," Uncle whispered quietly, his voice quivering thick with tears. "But then I began mentoring my nephew and now I have both of you. I am truly blessed."

"Me too?" I asked, completely taken aback by such nice words. I knew my parents loved me, but they were my parents. They had to love me. They just loved me a lot more as some porcelain doll on a shelf. This guy liked me even when I spat and didn't listen to him and ignored him. I tried to make myself as annoying as possible, and he still liked me?

"Of course, Toph. The gods never saw fit to give me a daughter, but if they had, I would have loved her to be as spirited and independent as you. You are a very special young lady," Uncle assured me, his heartbeat confirming every word as true. "The clay bottle of soy sauce, please?"

"Even though it was my idea to take out your niece?" I asked hesitantly as I handed Uncle a leathery brace of dried meat to throw into the stew along with the sauce. I was unsure how to react to this mushy stuff. Handing him ingredients was much easier.

"Azula… was never very good family. I have to say, I mourn her loss but I much prefer having you around." Uncle's words seemed closer to me.

"Thanks. I can't imagine the bitch was much fun to be around," I agreed, spitting into the grass. I wasn't some good little girl. I did what I wanted.

"Well, you have to admit, you are very special. You've made my nephew very strong and happy. He has bloomed before my eyes. For that, I will always be in your debt," Uncle said in a really tender voice as he adjusted the fire to make me more comfortable. I was getting used to high flames, being around Firebenders.I could feel my arms swing at my sides, since I had no idea what else I should do. "Hey, I had a lot of fun too," I mumbled, feeling my cheeks get hot with a blush. "You and Sparky are great."

"You and my nephew have so much in common. Both of you are emotionally constipated. Remind me to purchase some sea-prune juice for you both," Uncle said, chuckling richly through the tears. He must have been as twitchy at the idea of all this mush as I. "Now come on, give me a hug. I could use one!" Or maybe not.

I decided I'd be girly for this one moment and threw myself into Uncle's arms. He was so nice and squishy and soft. "You are like a big pillow," I said, enjoying the warmth of a hug.

"Thank you. Many delicious meals have given me a wonderfully pillowed physique," Uncle laughed, vibrations from his belly tickling me. "Perfect for giving hugs."

It was nice to be hugged. I had to admit, I really liked it. "I wish my parents were more like you," I found myself saying. 'Not that they aren't great parents but…" I said as he let me go and guided me to sit down next to him on the smooth stone bench I had raised for our little home.

"We can't help who our parents are. My father, Fire Lord Azulon was not the easiest person at times," Uncle explained, as the ladle swished through the soup. "But I have to say, despite all his mistakes, he was a good man. I miss him."

"I don't think he ever ignored you, did he? You were the Dragon of the West; you crushed the Bar Hey province. He must have thought you were great. Not useless and helpless," I said, feeling angry again as I handed Uncle a bowl.

"Well, my father was very kind to me. He trained me himself and made sure to groom me to be the future Fire Lord. Unfortunately, he neglected my little brother. No matter what Ozai did, he never received the praise I earned so easily. Father saw him as weak and worthless. He sent my brother to find the Avatar and kept him off the frontlines for war. In Father's mind, Ozai was just a spare," Uncle said bitterly, returning to me a spicy smelling bowl of stew, which warmed my hands

"Wow, now I'm really glad I'm an only," I said, after taking a long savory sip. It was perfectly seasoned, just the way I liked it. My parents had never let me have anything too spicy, for fear I would burn my tongue. If they knew the bite marks I had on my tongue from biting back my anger. "If my parents had another child… a seeing child…" I wondered if my parents would have still loved me had they been able to have another child, a boy who could earth-bend and read and be my father's true heir. I didn't want to think about it very much.

"But the fault is mine too. I should have known but… I was a young fool back then. I didn't see the shadows that began to form in my brother's eyes. I didn't see the hatred that had taken root." There was a long pause that had me worried. Uncle had lost a relative too today. Seeing Zuko such a mess was hard enough. I couldn't imagine Uncle depressed as well.

"Well, that's your dad's fault. He raised you to ignore your brother," I said, trying to make Uncle feel better as I slurped the soup.

"It is easy to blame others, but harder to admit fault. Had I been wise enough, I could have helped him. I might have been the pride of the Fire Nation, but I was a failure as a brother. My father ruled the Fire Nation with an iron hand for many years, but barely knew his own family," Uncle concluded mournfully, the vibrations in his voice telling me how hard this topic was for him.

"So that's why you took such an interest in Zuko? Because you don't want him to turn out like your brother?" I asked.

"Yes. I see so much of Ozai's potential in Zuko. Ozai has reversed the birth order but continued the chain of abuse. He broke Zuko's self-esteem and made him think he was worthless, while encouraging Azula in every way possible. Yes, Azula is… was a fire-bending prodigy and had gifts that Zuko doesn't have. But Zuko is also an extraordinarily talented young man in his own right, if he would only believe in himself." Uncle put his bowl down softly. "Well, would you listen to an old man ramble? I am surprised I haven't put you to sleep," he chuckled with a lying beat to his heart.

"Nah. I enjoy our talks," I said. I loved being able to speak my mind with my new friends. It made me feel free. I was actually worried that I had made Uncle uncomfortable. This was something I wasn't used to.

"A feeling that is shared. Now, why don't you go and get some sleep? I'm going to go check on my nephew and try to coax him to eat. I know you are part of the family, but I think you'll understand," Uncle said softly as he motioned me towards the beds.

As I retreated towards the sleeping mats, I found myself really tired. I hated seeing Zuko and Uncle so upset. I knew I should feel bad about killing Fire Bitch, but something inside just felt… empty.

I was used to holding in my sadness where no one could see it. I could never tell my parents what I felt. They'd never understand. Aang and his Water sidekicks just wanted to have fun and they never seemed to get me. I wanted to tell Uncle but he was busy helping Zuko. I wanted to tell Zuko, but in his angst, I doubt he would hear me.

I had to accept that I was always on my own. I snuggled up against the soft rock and tried to fall asleep. Sleep was nice.

-------------------

The angst was definitely annoying. Sparky spent the next two days sitting in the cave, making the camp seem horribly quiet. He had stopped training and just spent the time mumbling to himself. I hated hearing the defeat back in his footsteps when he went to get food. All my hard work was for nothing.

I tried everything to cheer him up. I put berries in his porridge and I let him sleep as long as he wanted. I made sure his ground was extra-soft and comfortable. The ingrate scarcely even spoke to me. I kicked some stones at him and he barely even responded. His vibrations had slowed enough that I was debating carrying him to a healer.

Even Uncle's breathing had gotten worse. I knew that the late great Fire Bitch had blasted his shoulder, but something told me his sadness was more about his nephew. They were a family. I knew that. They had a special bond, like Twinke-toes, Sugar Queen and Snoozles. And again, it was always me left in the cold, waiting for someone to notice me. So before either of my men had gotten up, I just decided to take a walk. I made sure to leave my belongings behind so they knew I was coming back. I had been promising to bring Uncle back some teas and now was as good a time to do it as ever.

I could smell the difference between plants. Sparky had told me about the time that Uncle had eaten some poison and had swelled up like an octopus-frog. I had a feeling a second bout of swelling would not be a good thing for a man of his age.

Actually, I had another goal in mind besides just encouraging Uncle. Zuko would need a new whetstone soon and I thought it might cheer the stupid lug up. I knew how much he liked his swords and I'm sure they needed sharpening. My mother always said that the way to a man's heart was to give him special presents. I think a broken heart like his counted.

The world around me seemed delightfully vibration-filled. I could feel ground moles scurrying underneath my feet, ants hurrying on their way and the distant tracks of saber-tooth moose in the distance. The air smelled of animals, dirty and free. I loved being alive!

I left down my hair, since the sun was so hot on my head. Back at home; I used to have parasols over my head carried by servants. Now, I was able to be natural, just like the rocks. If my parents could only see me now! I would have taken off my shirt, but even I knew that would be pushing it. As I found the Lung Ching plant, I realized that I had never bought my parents any plants or flowers. I never picked flowers in my mother's garden. She didn't like me playing in the dirt.

At the thought of my mom and dad, I had to admit, I was a bit mopey too. They must be pretty worried about me. Their helpless little daughter, all alone in the world, unprotected. Knowing Sparky, he would have felt sorrier for the world.

Mom would often tell me how I had been born premature, how the healers had fought to save me, how I couldn't breathe and how grateful they had been when they had first heard that weak cry. "We promised we'd never let anything hurt you again," Mom would always say, kissing the top of my head. "You are our baby."

My mom was an Earth-bender, just like me. But she never fought or sparred with it. She used it to design beautiful jewelry and mosaics to decorate the house. "A lady never fights, but uses her wits and her words," she would tell me serenely. Yeah, Mom, wits and words would really work when you weren't the wealthiest woman in the kingdom. That and pig-cows could fly.

My father was stern and stable, much like the element he was born to. His voice was always even and he walked sure-footed and strong. Although he underestimated me and didn't believe I could amount to much of anything, I liked him. He taught me some of my basic principles. It was from listening to him discuss his business partners that I had learned my best insults. "I just want the best for you, Toph. If I could give my wealth to allow you to see, I would. Just trust me that I know best," he would tell me when I would ask for anything.

I came upon a pile of stones and squatted down, searching for one that felt suitable for sharpening blades with. I could always tell where rocks were; they were my guides. I learned to walk using them to tell me what was in front of me, till my parents would put me back in my cradle, fussing about how easily I could hurt myelf. "You are all we have."

I didn't want to be the center of their world. As an only child, I had always wished I had a brother or sister. Someone to take their attention off me. Not one like Fire Bitch, of course, but someone who'd let me push them around a little. Someone to wrestle in the dirt with and sneak me out of the house every now and then. Someone who would disturb the quiet of the house. When you are blind, you really need sounds to fill the void. Someone would be the perfect fit for me. Like stone and earth.

With that thought, my hands closed around the perfect stone. Thick and strong, it could take the weight of the sword and not crack. "You're coming with me," I informed it. Yes, talking to rocks was a bit weird, but it was easier sometimes than talking to the crown prince of angst. Well, this would cheer him up, or I'd pound it into him!

I could not wait to get back to camp and show my new finds to my new men. As I listened to the birds sing in the trees, I could just hear how much better they would feel because of me. I know Uncle really loved Zuko, but sometimes; he was way too soft on him. Sparky needed to know that his angsting and anger was annoying. I was not so understanding of the times his heart rate would speed up and his stance would grow smaller.

It was starting to work. Before the Fire Demon died, I was starting to see a new person in him, someone stronger and wiser, someone a lot like a younger version of Uncle. The Fire Lord was a serious fool to underestimate Zuko. If I could get him back on track, he could almost be as strong as me. As I walked, I cracked a rock with a kick. I did say almost.

As I followed the route back to my new home, I checked the vibrations around me. A field mole was poking around a hole, some ants were marching along and there should be two friendly Firebenders, trudging around camp and trying to hide how miserable they were.

There was only one problem.

There were three people in the camp. One too many.

The ground below my feet could feel a female's footsteps, light and dainty traipsing around my camp. Could the Fire Demon have survived? Well, she would not be getting a third chance at life!

Concentrating my energy below my feet, I allowed the stone to do the moving for me. It would take me there a lot faster than running and I would have the high ground in an attack. My heart was pounding. What if Uncle was hurt? Zuko wasn't up to full strength, he'd never be able to survive Fire Demon alone.

"Get away from them," I shouted as I arrived, getting some boulders ready. "I'm not going to say it again!" I could feel their vibrations, their heights and weights. I knew where to aim and I was not going to miss.

"Wait," Sparky commanded, in a very strange tone. His heartbeat was calm and disturbingly… happy. "Mai here is my friend."

"Please, join us," Uncle said calmly, though his breathing had quickened considerably, showing he was quite nervous. "We have no secrets from each other. Mai here has some… interesting ideas."

"Zuko, who is your pet rock-porcupine?" a bored voice drawled, coming from the thin evil intruder. "I think I saw her with the Avatar."

"Not anymore. This is Toph, my… um…. my…" Sparky babbled, unsure what to call me.

"The word friend has one syllable. I think you can manage that. You just used it in a sentence," I hissed, sliding down the rocks to join him. "And I am not pleased to meet you."

"Feeling's mutual. Friends are boring most of the time," the intruder yawned. "So, can we get back to business, Prince Zuko?" Her voice sounded disturbingly warmer towards to Zuko. I did not like that.

"Where's your circus freak friend? Try Me or whatever her name is," I demanded, deciding to protect my idiot friend.  
"We found out the villagers threw Azula's body into the woods. So our mission was over. Ty Lee followed her aura back to the circus," the dull voice said, shifting her posture in a way I didn't like.

"Keep your hands where I can see them," I ordered, knowing I could see her a lot better than those with normal sight.

"Toph, let her speak. She's an old friend and she has some good news for me," Zuko said in a very stern tone. I really didn't like the effect she had on him.

"As I was saying, with Azula gone, you are the only heir left. Lord Ozai has to restore your place. You need to come back with me," the interloper explained, her heartbeat indicating she was telling the truth. I still didn't believe her.

"To the Fire Nation?" Zuko whispered, his voice choked with emotion. It was enough to make me sick.

"Yes. We can go back together. Use Azula's ship. I can forge a decree from her saying you should return," Mai explained, her heartbeat quickening. She liked Sparky, liked him enough to take him back to a hateful father who would most likely kill him. What an idiot!

"Thank you. That would be… agreeable. All four of us can go if you give us an hour to get ready,' Zuko said in a stunned voice. "We can leave most of this behind and travel light."

"Have you completely lost your mind?" I thundered, feeling myself ready to start chucking stones again. "Ozai isn't about to take back a kid he threw out for high treason. Sorry, Sparky but you are doomed if you go back." The truth hurt but it had to be said.

"How would you know?" Zuko hissed angrily, his heartbeat running higher with increased emotion. He was going to throw a tantrum. I could feel it. "My father cares about me. If I can just…"

"Take Aang gift-wrapped back to him?" I broke in, lancing the wound a bit. I knew I was treading on dangerous ground, but frankly, I really didn't care. In fact, I think I enjoyed it.

"Shut up!" Zuko roared, the temperature around him increasing dangerously. His stride was getting wider apart, lowering his center of gravity. His muscles had tensed, telegraphing how close he was to attacking.

"Prince Zuko, are you going to let her speak to you this way?" the worm called Mai asked in bored tone. "Kinda rude if you ask me. "

"Zuko, wake up and smell the dung she's saying. Your father sent you off on a wild hog monkey chase. The Avatar was gone for ninety-eight years when you were sent off to find him." It had to be said!

"I really doubt an outsider like you could understand the politics of the Fire Nation," Mai sneered, taking a step forward to Zuko.

"Shut it, Prickly. Zuko, face it, your dad wants your head on a pike, not under a crown," I explained, hoping to bash some sense into his thick head the verbal way. Of course, there was another way.

"I am his heir, his only heir," Zuko howled, his voice getting higher with frustration. "I am the only heir to the throne! It is my right to continue the line of Sozin, to stand at his side."

"The question is if he wants you there," I mused, ducking a blast of fire. "Watch it, it's just a question!"

"I think the Fire Lord would be glad to have you return. He does need a successor. Life in the capital would be less boring with you around," Mai chimed in.

"We killed your sister. You think your father is going to just welcome you back without being a little pissed?' I asked.

"Prince Zuko, you aren't a peasant. You can't live this way," Mai pressed, making me want to strangle her.

"Nephew, listen to me. There is no future back in the Fire Nation. We are exiles. We cannot return. There is nothing for us there," Uncle soothed, stepping forward slowly towards Zuko.

"Nothing but an axe with your name on it," I added helpfully.

"I know what I am doing!" Zuko roared, launching another stream of fire at me, which I smoothly ducked. A sloppy shot, in my opinion. I trained him better. "We are going back!"

I raised my hands to sink him into the ground, but Uncle spoke first. "As you wish," he said in a low voice that indicating he had another plan coming. The older man's heartbeat was racing with worry. "If you go, we go."

"Go ahead, throw yourself off a cliff and make your uncle suffer," I muttered, but held up my hands. Zuko nodded regally, but I could feel his heart beat with worry. Well, he should be worried!

"Perfect. Azula was going to rendezvous with a war machine near Ba Xing Xe. We can go together there and oversee the downfall of the city. You'll come back a war hero. General Iroh, you might actually complete your mission," said the snake girl, shoving the knife in further.

"As tempting as that sounds, Lady Mai, it would be dangerous for all of us to be traveling together. You must first find a way to explain Azula's death and our presence," Uncle explained. Oh brilliant!

"I have that worked out. I will bloody up one of Azula's spare sets of clothing and make it seem like an animal ate her. I can also forge her handwriting that she pardoned you and asked for your help," Mai explained, her voice oozing control. Her pose shifted again, which was really starting to annoy me.

"How handy. She pardons Sparky and then croaks. Sounds very believable," I muttered.

Zuko snorted, but didn't answer. Clearly, my point had finally penetrated his thick brain. "Then we don't need to travel together. Mai will prepare the news of Azula's death and we'll take the pardon, " Uncle explained, saving the day in the most genius way possible. Bye bye, Mai!

"That would be a really annoying. Why can't we just travel together?" Mai asked, her voice turning into a nice little whine. I was already trying to figure out how I could bend a pebble into her shoe.

"Because the General said so," I said with a smirk, as I made the ground beneath her rumble a bit. Just enough to make sure she knew who wasn't wanted.

"I didn't ask you. Prince Zuko, don't you think…" Mai tried, but Zuko's heartbeat had slowed, indicating he was thinking deeply. I hope he doesn't hurt himself. **  
**Without saying a word, he walked away. I wasn't sure what that meant, but hey, it got him away from Mai. And that was all that mattered.

-So yes, I wanted to end on a mixed note, because the next chapter is going to change everything! Someone big comes into their lives. Stay tuned.


	12. Someday, Out of the Blue

I'm back and better than ever! I went to England, had a blast and learned a lot. Then I went to Comic-Con where I learned even more! I met Bryan K, Dee Bradley Baker, Andrea Romano, Giancarlo Volpe and so many many more. I also met Rawles, Isaia, Booter Freak, kimchi Crusader, and Paranoididiot, among others. I am so enriched by them and I thank two special people, Acastus and Savitri for being amazing friends! This chapter is for them! Now, in this chapter, everything changes! Read and Enjoy! Special thanks to my beta-readers Spleef and Loveroftheflame!

Someday Out of the Blue

I still believe

I still put faith in us

We had it all and watched it slip away

Where are we now

Not where we want to be

---Elton John

Women were delightful headaches, my father Azulon always said. He was right. One female in the camp was a delight. Two were a headache.

I had been trying to sleep when I was awakened so rudely. "Prince Zuko, I think if you returned with me alone, we could convince His Majesty to reinstate you. He has no choice, you are the only royal left," Mai had been whispering when her feet had been swallowed by stone. Toph maintained the illusion of innocence by snoring loudly. No one was fooled.

"That's enough. Let her go." Zuko's voice was tight with fury. The ground defiantly swallowed Mai up to her knees. "I said…let her go!" I kept my eyes nearly screwed shut, not wanting to get involved in petty squabbling. Still, I did keep an eye on them to prevent any lethal damage.

"Fine! I'm getting more tea plants. When Uncle is crying over your death, I want to be able to offer him some tea." Toph was not one to mince words. I didn't want to think about the fact that she happened to be right. If Ozai and my Zuko were reunited, it would end in death. Either the quick and devastating death of a blinded father to the child he could never appreciate or the slow death of a good person lost to evil, war and cruelty. If either happened, I wasn't sure I could stand to keep living. As Toph stomped away, I tried to forget what she said.

"Peasants are boring. I don't know why you would want to be around trash like that," Mai muttered to Zuko. The look on my nephew's face when she said that intrigued me. I knew that Zuko had a soft spot for Mai, one of the few people in the palace who had cared to notice the silent prince beside his prodigy sister. Once, she had been the only friend he had ever had. But that was many years ago.

"She's not trash. She just…" Zuko began, as he tore a piece of leaf between his fingers.

"Is Earth kingdom?" Mai asked, her eyes narrowed predatorily. I could recognize the look of a jealous woman. Lien had been fortunate enough to marry me and had been the subject of many jealous glares from romantic rivals.

"She's a good person. I don't want her hurt. When I return, I need her protected. Promise me that," Zuko growled, his voice low and determined. "I don't care that she's an Earthbender. She's my ward now."

"All this talk of Toph. Aren't you glad to see me?" Mai asked coldly. The stars light up the anger in her face. "I am trying to help you."

"Yes," Zuko whispered, taking her hand and squeezing it. "I'm…happy to see you."

"You definitely make things interesting," Mai said, stroking his cheek. Her sharp features looked softer, more beautiful by moonlight. She was a beauty and she was a tempting prize for Zuko. "I promised I'd see you again."

"You're going to come home soon, Zuko. You are going to be Fire Lord," Mai whispered, continuing to stroke his face. It was good to see my nephew getting some action, but I worried about what kind of action she would give him.

"I killed Azula. My father…he might not understand that I had to," Zuko trailed off, turning away to look at the mountains in the distance and the shadows of Ba Sing Se in the distance.

"You defeated Azula. That makes you the stronger one. Of course he'll understand. Once you conquer Ba Sing Xe with me, he'll see you as a hero. Trust me." Mai snuggled into Zuko's arms. Her head rested on his shoulder tenderly.

"I do. I really do. But what are we going to do about Uncle and Toph? Father and Uncle aren't on good terms…and Toph's…," Zuko sounded extremely worried now. Finally, the boy was using his head. Tomorrow, I would thank the Gods for letting some sense pierce his thick skull.

"Don't worry about the General. He is still a royal. I'm sure some honorable retirement can be found for him. And the Earth girl, she's not much use as a concubine. Isn't she a bit young as a gift for your father?" Mai asked, her tone dripping with disdain.

"She's not a gift, she's my…" Zuko said, stopping himself before he declared himself, the crown prince of the Fire Nation friends with a lowly brutish Earthbender. I was disappointed in him.

"Friend. I see." Mai's tone could wither roses in the middle of springtime. "Well, that's boring."

"It's reality. She stays. She's part of the deal. My honor demands it." Zuko's tone was just as strong.

"I'm not going to push you, Zuko. Just…think about it," Mai said, sliding around the upcoming fight so neatly, avoiding actually discussing the issue. Her fingertips brushed Zuko's good cheek neatly.

"I will. You have helped me a lot. I will never forget it. Being home…taking down Ba Sing Se…Father will be proud," Zuko convinced himself, to Mai's approval.

"Are you two lovebirds finished?" Toph growled, popping out of the ground like a vengeful groundhog.

"She's not my girlfriend!" Zuko hissed, always a master of words. Sometimes I wondered about him. "Can we all just go to bed? I don't want to hear a word out of any of you. Uncle is trying to sleep."

With that, I yawned and rolled over. My nephew was right. I had heard enough and needed some rest.

----------------------

Therefore, early the next morning, I was not at all sad to see Lady Mai leave the camp. Between her attempts to convince my poor deluded nephew to return to his father's clawed embrace, and Toph's attempts to crush Mai under boulders, I was surprised Ozai himself didn't hear the bickering.

Zuko had watched her ride away for a long moment. I watched Toph mindlessly throw stones, obviously knowing the object of her affection was thinking about another female. I pitied her, but I doubted even she knew how much she cared for my nephew. I decided to say nothing. We had bigger problems to deal with.

The three of us were on our way to meet Lady Mai in Ba Sing Se, a journey of ten days and a different world. Ah…the city of a thousand dreams and a single crushing death. My dear Lu Ten, my son and heir, the fallen prince of the nation. Every night I dreamed of him, holding his fragile little infant body in my arms and laughing as he yanked my beard. I remembered his warm hand in mine as we walked together in the gardens. I remembered his cheeks as I wiped away the tears when we lost his beautiful mother, Lien. I remember his shoulders, as I wrapped the cloak around his body and sent him out to be a soilder. I remembered his eyes, when death clouded him. In my heart, he was alive.

I shook myself out of this stupor and focused on the task at hand, covering the tension in the air with inane chatter. I could not afford to dwell in misery. Lu Ten's last words had been "Take care of Zuko for me, Father. And try to laugh."

I had sworn to fulfill his words without fail. It wasn't even a burden for me anymore. I loved Lu Ten with my entire body, but I had allowed myself a small corner of my heart for my foster son. And now, that corner was being shared with a feisty little girl that Lien would have loved. I loved all of my children, and enjoyed filling my heart. It was comforting.

We had been traveling for five days, in the direction of the historical city, a journey through my past. We were still in disguise as refugees, but the danger was very great. If the soldiers found us, Zuko and I would be imprisoned and executed, and Toph would be shipped back home. None of that would be very pleasant for us.

Still, setting up camp had not been so bad. Zuko had been chopping wood with his hands, while I began to lay out our blankets. It was nice to share these nice quiet moments, where I could imagine Zuko was Lu Ten and Toph his bride, that someday they would bring me grandchildren, that we weren't strangely banished royals in a horrible war that would never end. It was comforting to pretend.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" shrieked Zuko, disturbing my fantasies of coddling my little grandchildren in my arms and feeding them sweets till they were properly spoiled and plump. Why did my family feel the need to disrupt my life at all hours?

It was only when I heard Toph's screams and the smell of burning cloth that I understood what had happened. Toph must have wandered too near the fire! I stood up to see Zuko brushing off a shaking Toph, who was covered with black soot. She clutched her arm, whimpering. "Are you all right?" I asked, cuddling her.

"I just wanted to cook dinner," Toph sniffed angrily, trying to hold back the tears most girls would have been bawling. Her sightless eyes were wide with pain as she grabbed her arm.

"How could you be so stupid?" ZUko demanded, his eyes wide with fear himself. "You could have been killed!"

"Shut it, Sparky. I was just trying something new," Toph snapped, shivering in terror as she tried to brush herself off. After my plan was over, I'd buy her the prettiest dress possible.

"Nephew, you are being cruel," I admonished. It was rare that I called Zuko on his poor behavior but even the son of Ozai had to have a heart once in a while. Had my own son behaved this way, I would have considered scolding him.

"If she wants to get killed, that's fine, but not while she's in my camp," Zuko snapped, turning on his heel. And in that moment, I smiled. Perhaps, my nephew had more of a heart than I thought.

Toph had silenced her whimpering and was now feeling her wounds. "I'm fine," she snapped, trying to hide the pain in her voice. "I've had worse. I don't need your pity."

"Good, you don't have it. I'm going to get some fresh water," Zuko sneered, walking away with his head held high. "Stupid girl." I closed my eyes and waited for the ground to launch Zuko ten feet into the air. I only had a moment before I heard my nephew land in a painful heap, cursing to himself.

"Don't tsk tsk me, Uncle. He called me stupid," Toph muttered, holding out a small arm to be examined.

"You know, you could try solving your problems with words, not action. You can't fight everyone who upsets you," I reminded her, taking some honey from the flask to put some on her wound. "Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Toph shrugged. 'Yup. Sometimes, fighting doesn't work. Sometimes the situation calls for discussion," she recited back to me. "But till that situation happens, I plan to use what works."

I had a splitting headache. Between my nephew and this scamp, I really had a splitting headache.

Of course, my headache was becoming a permanent part of my life. I was awoken the next day to the sound of my nephew and adopted niece going at it. And not in the way that I could have politely slept through.

"You are a complete idiot!" Toph was shouting. "You can't go and meet that minion of your sister!"

"I have a duty to be Lord!" my nephew shouted, his voice resonating with the rage that permanently bubbled within him. I watched his posture tighten up, as he prepared to battle. I would hate to see Toph grind him into the ground but I knew that this was how it would most likely end.

"You aren't going back to being a Lord, Sparky! You are going back to being your father's lackey, the same father who burned and banished you like you were yesterday's news! The same daddy dearest who sent your sociopath sister to kill you! I'm not feeling the love here!" Toph snapped, her body coiled for action. Yes, my nephew was about to get a face full of dirt.

"My father is Agni Incarnate. He's a God! Who are you to question him?" Zuko demanded. As the son of one "God" and the brother of another, I knew full well that God belched after heavy meals, wet themselves when they were toddlers, and had smelly feet. "His word is law!"

"Even if that word means helping him crush every person who doesn't bow before you?" Toph hissed, hitting the raw nerve of every member of the family. "That's what your father wants."

"Shut up!" Zuko retorted, knowing that was only too true. "You are just some Earth bender, you wouldn't understand!"

"Understand? What is there to understand? Your daddy wants to crush everything. He'll only be happy when everyone is his slaves. And don't tell me everyone should be his slaves."

"Why not?" Zuko hissed, making me wonder if my nephew even thought about the idiotic propaganda he had been fed.

"So you want me as your slave, Sparky? Not enough I save your sorry butt, now I have to be crushed under your daddy's heel? Forgive me if I am a bit worried. The guy can't even treat his own family right. He doesn't know the meaning of mercy. You can't trust him!"

"He's my father!" Zuko roared, smoke coming out of his ears. I really didn't like this. It was like lancing an abscess; a lot of ugliness always came out.

"Then why doesn't he act like that! Uncle is more a father than the Fire Lord could ever be! He followed you into exile, he cares about you. A lot of respect you show him!" Toph roared.

The blood drained from Zuko's face. "Uncle…I show you respect, don't I?" he said, in a false haughty tone.

I was not sure how to answer that question without lying or worse, telling the truth. "I think I shall put on some tea. All this yelling is giving me a headache," I said, trying to avoid the firing questions.

"This isn't about tea, Uncle. Answer the question!" Zuko snapped, looking quite panicky.

"Yelling at your uncle, now that's respectful!" Toph rightly pointed out. This blunt approach was something I had to get used to.

"I think I shall go make roast duck for dinner," I muttered, trying to hope that this would not require me physically separating them.

"That means your goose is cooked," Toph smirked, crowing over her triumph as Zuko stalked off to go throw fireballs. I had hurt him badly. Perhaps I should have lied to him and soothed his feelings.

"You really should not goad him like that," I murmured as I tossed some more wood on the fire.

"Well, he just won't listen," Toph muttered, grinding a clod of dirt under her heel. I could just see her imagining that clod being my nephew.

"My nephew is a complicated person," I began, trying to defend the person I loved most in the world, the son I parented but could never claim.

"His father basically ignored and emotionally trashed him. Zuko's trying to get back in Daddy's good graces and won't accept that he's the spawn of evil. So you're stuck watching him chase his tail till logic gets into his thick head. What's so complicated in that?" Toph asked, yawning.

That was certainly laconically well put. "I…suppose it only seems complicated. Well, perhaps things will seem better after a nice hot dinner," I said. Food solved nearly all problems.

"We're running out of supplies," Toph mumbled. "Is there a town nearby?" she asked. "We might as well cook Sparky's last meal."

With that, I smiled. "I think I have a friend in the area who might be of some use to us," I said, allowing myself a slightly fiendish chuckle.

"You had this planned the entire time," Toph accused with a smile. "I can hear it in your voice."

"Dear Toph, I am an old man. I often had to wake up in the middle of the night for my needs and I had time to think. That is all." I allowed myself a smirk of joy. "If all goes as planned, Zuko will finally change his tune." Father would be so proud of my scheming. "There's a building out on the hill and rain clouds on the horizon. Everything is working out perfectly."

It didn't take long for Zuko to return, looking quite sheepish and annoyed. He was calm enough for the moment. I bided my time before telling him that we had run out of supplies and would have to visit the tower on the hill.

"I don't want any mistakes. This close to the city, we have to be careful," Zuko snapped for the third time, as the enormous temple loomed above us. A proud temple to some, it ached for me to see it. It was a symbol of murder and destruction, a symbol of the madness in my blood.

"We'll be fine. If anyone asks, I'm Toph Beifong and you are my humble slaves," Toph added helpfully, fanning the flames of my nephew's anger. She was treading up the mountain-top easily, nearly floating above the rocks.

"I'd rather die than be a slave," Zuko spat, leading the frightened animals behind him, soothing them with hardened honey chunks.

"That's the attitude I like to hear. Very Earth kingdom of you. Live free or die fighting," Toph said approvingly.

"Something we share," Zuko admitted grudgingly, the tiniest hint of a smile crossing his face before fading into the anger of his mind.

Yes, live free or die fighting. The motto of every soldier, like the young prince who had led a suicide attack on the walls. I could still hear the words in my mind, "He's gone."

Still…I know I would find comfort there. I had before. As I had before. I had once been so weary, so frightened, so much like my nephew. Just thinking about that time made me wonder how…

"Welcome weary travelers. I was not expecting guests but life is full of delightful surprises," a voice said, out of the darkness, making all of us jump. Toph looked especially shocked, obviously surprised she had not felt his presence.

"Who goes there?" Zuko snapped, his hands reaching for his Dao swords to battle. "Come out!"

As the light illuminated the thin face of the thin man who neatly parted the bushes, I couldn't resist a smile. His kindness had served me in a hard time. "Please enter my humble abode." Always welcoming, never judging. I had actually attacked him when I had first met him, but he had deftly blocked my attacks and then hugged me.

"It has been a long time, Guru. I am in your debt, for another kindness shown to a lonely man," I said, bowing deeply.

"Ah, Iroh. My old friend, I had a feeling you might show up. So this must be your new son and daughter," the withered man said, bowing to Zuko and Toph in turn. "Welcome welcome."

"No. this is my nephew Zuko, and his friend, Toph," I corrected. I had asked him to find me my son and we had failed. It was painful to return to that same place and remember how I had first met him.

"I felt such a parental burst of chakra when I saw them. Well, we all make mistakes, my friends. Allow me to cook you a meal. Treat this as your humble home," Pathik said, bustling us inside. "What lovely auras you all have. It will be a pleasure to have you all as my guests."

"Is he insane?" Zuko hissed to Toph, as always missing the meat of wisdom in the stew of life. "Why is he telling him our names?"

"No, your uncle is quite sane, young man. I should know," the guru said with a laugh. "Now, let me have the honor to serve you porridge and give you rest. Hospitality is the light of the world." Zuko stared balefully at the sparse temple, with holes in the ceiling. It was a lot less than he would have liked it. "It brings in the divine chakras."

"Yeah, and the rain," Toph snickered to Zuko. "Sounds like a holy place."

"Perhaps you could show me the peach trees," I asked loudly, as the four of us and the animals journeyed into the caves under the mountain where Pakku made his home. "Toph and Zuko can set up camp."

"Bring me back some peaches," Toph said gaily before my hypocritical little nephew could protest about going off alone. He tried to hide how much he worried about me.

Pathik nodded wisely. "Yes, the peaches will do us both good," he said. "Honored Toph and Zuko, follow the path and you will reach the sleeping place. Rest your bones and breathe in the clean air."

Zuko rolled his eyes. "Another proverb-maker," he muttered, petting the animals before leading them off.

We watched them go off for a few long moments. "A strong boy, a proud boy." Pathik said, watching Zuko fade around the bend.

"Too strong and too proud. He is on the cusp of so much and yet, I can't reach him. He is too bitter and angry and proud for me to handle. I fear that fury and hatred will consume him till there will be nothing left," I sighed.

"He has spilled blood. A heavy weight lies on his shoulders. He cannot keep living a lie anymore. He is a prince."

"But he doesn't have to be. He can choose another path!" That was Mai's road, the road I could not let him go!

"Destiny has left its mark on Zuko. Toph as well. Their auras say that soon, they will achieve great things, if they can reach their full potential." Pathik's word was rarely wrong, and I knew I could trust him. Still, I was filled with doubts.

"I am frightened for my nephew. He is young, too young to face the trials ahead. Master, what should I do? Can I keep watching him struggle?"

"The White Lotus opens her petals to all who ask, but they must ask first. Are you asking me to…" Master Pathik asked, staring after my nephew.

"Yes. Initiate him. He needs it. Toph too," I said, bowing my head. It was the only choice I had.

"As you wish. The process is painful, you know. Not everyone can complete it," Pathik said sternly, reminding me of my second great failure.

"I know Toph and Zuko can do it. I wouldn't ask you if I wasn't sure," I begged, trying to forget the horrible memories. I had been forced to face my failure and had been unable to continue. Zuko and Toph would have to go forward where I had never gone.

"The stars are beautiful, Iroh. Each one, their own light. No matter how many there are, each one has its place," Pathik proverbed neatly, reminding me of what I should have known. "Shall I tell you what I see for your nephew?" His voice was cold.

I closed my eyes and nodded, bracing myself for bad news. "I see two paths for Zuko. He is at a crossroads. His love for you is strong, but his need to regain his throne is a maddening desire. If he would stay with you, he will eventually succumb to temptation and do great evil. He will fall farther than he could ever fall and you will stand on opposite sides. The fire in his personality makes him unstable," Pathik began, verbally knifing me in the heart.

"I have tried," I began, trying to comprehend how my nephew could betray me someday. Tears blurred my vision of the inky black sky.

"There is more. If however, he can ground himself, center himself, take friendship in Toph, both of you can balance him. I see a long road ahead of him but a path that can lead to untold greatness. He will be a true son of Agni," Pathik continued. "So we must help him choose right."

I jerked my head up. "So, you'll train him?" I gasped, my breath caught in my chest. I owed this man everything.

"Yes. Now…let's make some banana onion juice and visit our new students. Do you think they will enjoy it?"

**So, bet you didn't see that coming? And it only gets better. Keep reading and please tell me what you think! **


	13. Watch the Sky

Okay, I'm back with a new chapter! Zuko is about to do some growing up and learn some brand new lessons. I wish I could say, but you have the chapter to find out. Special thanks to Loveroftheflame and Spleef for their beta work. They are part of the process of writing this story which often costs me 30 hours of my time. It takes about a minute to review. I'll leave it there.

I hope you enjoy this!

And I've been up for days

I finally lost my mind

and then I lost my way.

I'm blistered but I'm better and I'm home.

And I will crawl, there's things that aren't worth giving up I know.

But I won't let this get me I will fight.

You live the life you're given with the storms outside

----Something Corporate

Watch The Sky

I hated the temple. It smelled and weird animals kept popping in for a free meal. I was a prince (in exile) and would it be too much to ask for silk sheets and a few pretty girls to serve me my food on golden plates? Okay, I'd settle for any sheets and any form of metal for my plate, as long as the meal did not include onion and banana juice. It was the most putrid substance in the world!

"What are those old geezers blabbering about?" I asked, not worried about someone stabbing my elderly uncle in the back. I just didn't like him being out of my sight in an unfamiliar place so long. Staring up at the stars, I took comfort that the stars hung over my homeland too, uniting us together. As soon as I would return to the palace with Mai, I would finally be at peace.

"Show some respect, Sparky!" Toph snapped, sipping the juice with gusto, burping every few minutes. "Uncle knows what he's doing!" From all my time with Toph, I was aware of one thing. The ground was her friend, not mine and if I didn't at least attempt to be nice, I'd get it in the end. Literally.

"I hate this drink," I muttered, changing the subject. "How can you even stomach it?' I was used to the finest foods, the most delicately flavored fishes and freshest exotic fruits brought to me by scantily clad servants.

"Strong gullet, Sparky. I can eat anything," Toph laughed harshly, obviously pleased with herself. How did a wealthy Bei-Fong have the ability to enjoy the rough life so much?

"Could you hand me some food from the feed-bags?' Please?" I was too tired to argue or be rude. My empty stomach was definitely plaguing me. When I returned to my throne in triumph with Mai by my side, I'd be banning the union of banana and onion forever.

Toph walked over to my two pet rhinos and wordlessly threw me one of the dried meat packs. "Here, and consider it a gift." I felt the ground move up and form a chair under me, lifting me out of sitting on the floor like any commoner. It was actually quite nice. "Like it?"

"I'd prefer a real throne," I mumbled, not sure how to thank her properly, without her mocking me. I'd miss her a lot when I returned to the Fire Nation. At least I would know she would be safe.

'What is a throne, but a fancy seat to put your bottom on?" that insane guru said, coming up behind me. I had my hands aflame in seconds, but had that mad monk been a real enemy, I would have been dead. Toph and Uncle would have been finished.

"I can't believe you would…" I muttered, wondering how someone could be so idiotic. A chair was a chair and a throne was my birthright. It seemed simple-enough to me. That dried up old codger was really starting to bug me.

Uncle came up behind the guru, looking very pleased with himself. "Master, allow me to explain. They will meet you up by the waterfall," he said, bowing deeply. The sight of my uncle, a grandson of Lord Sozin himself bowing to that lunatic was enough to make the banana and onion juice bile come up in my throat.

"Explain what?" Toph asked serenely, smirking at me as the old man toddled away up a path to the mountaintop. She just loved to see me suffer, didn't she?

"Am I going to like this?' I muttered. I had a feeling the answer would be no, especially if it involved staying here for more than the night. If I didn't get some fresh meat soon, I was going to attack someone.

"Explain why we are here," Uncle said softly. "I have brought you here to eat of the fruit and taste its mysteries."

"Don't speak in riddles. I need the truth, Uncle." I needed it now before I stormed the gates of Ba Sing Se and threw my honor away on a gamble of my father's mercy.

"The Guru Pathik is the Grandmaster of the White Lotus Society, a group dedicated to preserving the old ways and traditions that are rapidly falling away in our industrial world. We seek a world where harmony between old and new can be found. We strengthen ourselves to become guardians of ancient customs. The Grandmaster has judged you both worthy to train." Uncle's eyes were far away, starring off into the starry night.

I tried to contemplate this information. "Train in what? Fire-bending?" What could that dried up old stump teach me that my Uncle couldn't?

Toph was finally taking my side. "Sparky and you are training me. What do we need him for?" she bolstered.

"Allow me to return the question. Who is strong?" Uncle said, his voice becoming that sing-song quality that made me want to strangle the nearest person.

"Me," Toph answered happily. "That was easy." She looked very pleased with herself as she crushed a boulder beneath her feet for emphasis.

"No, Toph. A strong person may not be able to conquer stone, but he can conquer what is harder than stone, his own heart," Uncle continued, his tone shifting from merry to grave. "And both of you are not yet strong. This man can help you."

"He helped you, didn't he?" Toph said, an odd expression crossing her face. "When you were very sad."

"Yes. When I lost Lu Ten, I wandered around these mountains, drunk in pain and misery. I didn't even notice my wounds, even though I was bleeding profusely. I just wanted to end my suffering. The Guru found me. He nursed my wounds and fed me. He took me to the Spirit world. And he tried to train me."

"Tried?" I asked. Had my uncle actually failed at something? I had to admit, besides the debacle at Ba Sing Se, my uncle had been a prodigy at everything he tried.

"No, I was not able to finish the trials. There was a point where I could not continue and I turned back," Uncle said, lowering his eyes. I yearned to hug him, but I was tongue tied with fear. What trial was I supposed to face that even Uncle could not have accomplished.

"Why? What kind of trial is this?" I asked softly. I wasn't about to let Toph go with me. She may have been a genius at earth-bending, but it was my duty to protect her. A prince always looked after his attendants.

"I have already told you. It is a spiritual journey inside yourself. You must face the demons in your own soul and conquer them. In essence, you will be fighting yourself," Uncle clarified. "Succeed and you will be stronger than even Azula could have ever been."

"Then why did you turn back?" I continued. What lay inside my uncle's soul that was too dark for him to handle.

"Some things, my nephew are best kept within the heart," Uncle said cryptically. "The question is will you take the challenge. Toph, the choice is yours as well."

Before I could say anything, I felt Toph put her hand on my arm. "We're going," she said decisively. "There's no turning back."

"Nephew?" Uncle queried, his eyes sad. I knew how frightened he was for me, but I couldn't let him know my fear as well.

"Toph's right. But I'm going first," I whispered. "And no arguing." Even destroying Ba Sing Se with Mai might not be enough to face my father. I needed this new power and I had no choice but to risk my life.

"You will do well," Uncle said, patting my shoulder. I could feel my heart beating so wildly in terror that I'm surprised I could even stand still to accept the affection.

"Fine. This training is a cinch compared to what I've put you through," Toph said, punching my arm. I nearly smiled, so I walked off alone to hide it. I couldn't allow them to know how much they meant to me. It might hurt them more if I didn't come back.

I wandered up the path, feeling the soft ground beneath my feet. I had never realized how much Toph had taught me. I could feel the earth beneath me and know if the surroundings were conducive to me.

I would have never gotten this training if I'd never been banished. For some reason, that thought scared me. Was I actually glad I had lost my honor? I suppose my life would have been fine without Toph, I would have remained on the throne beside my father, but I was grateful I had met her.

I reached the top of the hill, where that old bag of bones and banana-onion juice was waiting. "Welcome, Prince Zuko. Please, take a seat. Rest your weary soul," he said softly and calmly.

"So, my uncle says you are here to train me. So what have you to teach?" I asked in a threatening tone. Uncle may have trusted him but I would not be so naïve.

"How direct you are. So much like your uncle," the Guru giggled, like a stupid little Ty Lee. "Do you know what a chakra is?"

"Pools of swirling energy residing within the body. Each chakra can be blocked by emotions or thoughts which will cause stagnant energy throughout the body," I snapped in a bored tone. I had a prince's education!

"Excellent. For someone so wise, it is incredible how much your chakras are blocked," The guru said in a meditative tone. "But don't worry; we can fix that through meditation."

"I'm not here to be insulted," I growled, forming a flame in my hand. I could roast him where he stood.

"Only a fool would see truth as an insult and you are not a fool, my young prince. Now, shall we begin?" the Guru continued calmly. "Be seated." Without knowing why, I obeyed. "Once you open the chakras, you can't stop. If you do, your spirit will suffer terribly."

I closed my eyes. "I am not afraid," I answered, feeling the ground beneath me. That gave me comfort.

"Excellent. Take a deep breath. The Earth Chakra is located at the base of the spine. It deals with survival, and is blocked by fear," the Guru said. "Visualize that chakra and meditate on what do you fear?"

I didn't even need to think hard to know what I feared. I feared failing, becoming a worthless exile who was forgotten by his people, who died alone and hated. As I took another deep breath, I saw my father's disappointed eyes, boring into me. I saw my mother's tear-stained face. That filled me with shame.

_You are concerned for your survival, so you must surrender those fears. Let your fears flow away. Do not let others tell you what it means to succeed or fail. You must embrace the need to survive, the need to fight against all odds and remember that obstacles are only seen when you take your eyes off your goal. Think of when you have survived. _I wasn't sure whose voice it was. It sounded like the Guru, but how did he get inside my head?

I remembered the time I had entered Zhao's fortress and got out alive. I had survived the Pirate's attack on me and I had defeated my sister. Uncle and Toph and Mother never considered me a failure. They had always seen the best in me. Either they were blind or they were right. In one case, they were both.

I felt a rush of energy flood through my body, like a jolt of Uncle's ginseng tea flooding through my veins. There was a smell of earth that suddenly filled my nose. "Oh," I mumbled.

"One is complete. Six more still lie before you. Let us continue," the Guru directed, his voice soothing and kind. I was suddenly grateful he was there.

"The second Chakra deals with pleasure and is blocked by guilt. Now, look at all the guilt which burdens you so. What do you blame yourself for?" The Guru continued.

What did I blame myself for? Everything. I blamed myself for being banished and I blamed myself for not capturing the Avatar. I blamed myself for my mother leaving and for my sister dying. I blamed myself for not being the son I should be.

_Accept the reality that these things happened, but do not let them cloud and poison your energy. If you are to be a great leader, you need to forgive yourself. Only then can you learn to forgive others and lead them. _It was devastating to realize tears were streaming down my face, as well as the smell of sea water.

I knew what Toph would say in this situation. "Stop blaming yourself, Sparky. You aren't that important," she said. "With me with you, everything will work out." I was important…

"Of course you are, Sparky. But blaming yourself is a waste of time. Move on," Toph would say. With the sound of her voice in my ears, I felt another surge of energy. She was right.

Panting, I opened my eyes and realized how clear the sky seemed to me. I could see a million stars above my head. "It is never easy to face your guilt. But you have left it behind now," the guru said, peering at me. "Do you need some rest for a moment?"

"No. I can keep going," I whispered, wiping my tears away and closing my eyes again. "I have to."

"Third is the Fire chakra, located in the stomach. This chakra deals with will power and is blocked by shame. What are you ashamed of? What are your biggest disappointments in yourself?"

I visualized my father and his disappointment at my very existence. "Azula was born lucky and you were lucky to be born." I kept hearing him say that. The worst part was that I believed it. Even the people in that town saw me as a disappointment and I had saved their lives.

_Yet, you are important to many people. _I saw Uncle and Toph and I knew that my life meant something to them. As that thought filled my mind, I felt a surge of heat in my stomach that made me sweat. It was my own inner fire, but so much stronger.

As that fiery pop happened, I felt myself under oppressive heat. Even for a Fire bender, it was truly horrible. I stripped off my shirt, not surprised to find it drenched. "Is that it?" I asked, my voice sounding weaker then I would have liked.

"Well, you like a challenge. Then you should enjoy this one. The fourth chakra is located in the heart. It deals with love, and is blocked by grief. Lay all your grief out in front of you."

My whole life was grief. I lost my cousin and aunt. I lost my mother. I lost my father's love. I lost my sister. I lost my throne and my people. Most of all, I missed them so much. "Zuko, no matter what happens, never forget who you are," I heard my mother say.

Why did you leave me, Mother? Why did you abandon me? As the pain swirled inside me. _Let the pain flow away. Let it out. _

I allowed myself a howl of pain, giving every drop of agony into it. I let myself grieve for her, for my family and for my nation. It felt… freeing to finally let it out.

_You have indeed felt a great loss. But love is a form of energy, and it swirls all around us. It is still inside of your heart, and is reborn in the form of new love._

I could see Toph smiling at me. She was like the family I should have had. She saw the best I had in me and beat it to the surface. I had to say, she definitely had given me some wonderful new skills. And with her, I'd make a better future for myself. We could do anything together.

"Very good," the guru continued as he placed his hands on my head. That pop of energy actually felt wonderful.

"That chakra opened like a royal flower," The guru said softly. "I see excellent progress with you. Do you need to rest?" I shook my head. I needed more. Opening my chakras felt so wonderful, I had to keep going and keep feeling those strange new emotions. "The fifth in the chain is the Sound chakra, located in the throat. It deals with truth, and is blocked by lies. The ones we tell ourselves. What lies do you tell yourself?" the guru asked, going too far.

"I don't lie to myself," I answered quietly, my mind filling with confusion. "The rest made sense but this…,"

"Ahhh, we've reached a stubborn one. Well, I did prepare for that. Lie down and rest." The Guru had earned some of my trust, but not enough that I would allow myself to rest near him. A knife in my ribs did not appeal to me. Noticing my mistrust, the old man sighed. "If I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't be assisting you. Trust is as precious as fresh water in the desert, but must be shared in order to survive."

I stared him down for a long moment. "How do I know you are worthy to be trusted?" I demanded.

"You have to make that choice for yourself," the Guru said softly. I continued to stare at him before reluctantly lying down and closing my eyes. "Breathe the incense in," the Guru indicated as a sickly sweet scent filled my nostrils. Why couldn't I get a spicy smell for once in my life? I supposed it was better than the scent of failure.

"Is this going to…?" I began, but as the swirl of colors took over my mind, I found myself too nauseous to speak.

"Stay still. Let yourself marinate in dreams," the guru commanded serenely as the world spun before my eyes. "Don't fight it."

But I had to fi-

--------------------------

"Father loves me, doesn't he?" a little boy asked, sitting by the turtle ducks. His red clothes seemed especially bright against the whirling colors in the background. "Please? I'll do anything if he would just love me."

I stared at the little boy. "I'm sure he does," I comforted, finding myself saddled with a child. Still, he was Fire Nation and it was my duty to take care of him.

"Even if he calls me a failure, it just means he expects more of me," the little boy said, looking up at me.

"Yes," I assured him. All he needed to do was try harder and he would be fine.

"And even when he burnt me, it just meant it was my fault," the boy said, his gentle face turning charred and bloody before my very eyes. I touched my own scar and felt my heart break in pity.

"And he said he could take away my honor. That I'm worthless unless I please him," the boy whispered, the blood still trickling on to his shirt. "Am I really worthless?" he asked. "No, you aren't worthless…" I assured him. "You can redeem yourself." There was hope, as long as the little boy kept on trying.

"And even if he exiles me on a wild goose chase when the Avatar hadn't been seen for a hundred years and it was expected I never come back,' the boy continued, wiping his eye with one small hand.

"I'm sure he knew you could do it," I said, starting to get a terrible feeling about this entire vision.

"And if he sends my sister to kill me?" the boy continued. "He must still forgive me. Even if I come back, he'll still hurt me again if I displease him. I'm afraid of him. I want him to love me, but… I don't want him to hurt me anymore. Don't let him hurt me!" he begged, as his face began to pucker up with more burns.

I had suffered everything this little boy had suffered and borne it well, but I couldn't stand to watch this little boy suffer. "I won't let him hurt you," I promised.

"Don't let him hurt us," the boy warned, throwing himself into my arms. "He will do it again. I don't want to be hurt again."

As I allowed the strange little boy to embrace me, I heard the Guru's voice in my ears. _You cannot lie about your own nature. You must accept your talents and limitations_.

I was worth something. That little boy was worth something and didn't deserve to be hurt! His father is wrong! And… so was mine!

"You did it, Zuko," the little boy said, smiling up at me through the blood on his face. "He won't hurt us anymore."

As I watched the child smile, I knew he'd be safe. And as the sound of his laughter filled my ears… I knew I'd be safe too.

--------------------------

I was walking through darkness. My eyes couldn't see anything, but I knew where I was going. I had been walking in darkness long enough to call it my friend. It was the only constant companion I had ever had.

_The sixth pool of energy is the Light chakra, located in the center of the forehead. It deals with insight and is blocked by illusion._

So what was the illusion here? Was it the darkness or something inside it? I couldn't be sure, but I had to keep alert. Danger could lurk anymore and without my sight, I was not at full capacity. Even with Toph's blindfold training, I could barely hear anything but that voice. "What illusion?"

_The greatest illusion of this world is the illusion of separation. Things you think are separate and different are actually one and the same._

"I don't understand," I whispered, as I groped my way through the pitch black night. "Am I a part of something bigger?"

_What is the illusion you face most?_

That I was a failure? That was an illusion. I knew now that I had worth in my own eyes as well as the eyes of others.

That I didn't miss my mother when I did?

I could hear Toph's voice in my ear. "Idiot. Listen to what the Guru is saying. You and I are different but we are friends. We're different elements but we're one team. We're like your Dao swords, two halves of a whole. You rise with the sun, I live on the earth," she told me in that brusque voice. "But we're connected."

"Everything is connected," I repeated, as the room flooded with a light that blinded me. "Everything is one." Toph and I were one. Uncle and I were one. My people and I were one!

------

I had reached the end of my journey. Above my head was a golden door waiting to be opened. Of course, the only problem was that I needed to fly to reach it. I wasn't sure how I knew that, but I needed to fly. I wasn't sure how I could get a ladder to the sky anyway.

_ The Thought chakra is located at the crown of the head. It deals with pure cosmic energy and is blocked by earthly attachment. Meditate on what attaches you to this world. Then you will be able to soar by lifting a hand. _

I raised my hands to walk among the birds, but found myself anchored. "I can't move."

_Look down and see what keeps you chained. _I obeyed looking down at the floor. A golden chain attached my feet to the floor. The shackle was shaped like the royal crown of my nation.

"Must I give up my bond to my people?" I demanded. I had to keep opening my chakras or I'd be worthless to them, but would opening my spirit mean losing my nation forever?  
_To deny you are royal would be a lie. But remember, true royalty does not require a crown or the approval of a father. It must come from inside._

"How?" I asked. "I am ready to do as you ask. Just tell me what to do," I pleaded. I needed to clear this final hurdle.

_Find the moment that you were most royal. And then capture the feelings you felt in that moment. _

I could hear my own voice speaking. "You can't sacrifice an entire division like that! Those soldiers love and defend our nation! How can you betray them?"

That moment had always been my weakest moment. The moment I had shamed my entire family.

_Why should you be ashamed? The soldiers who you defended would call you a hero. _

I had defended my soldiers. Even though my father had called it shameful weakness, my life was tied to the life of my people. When they suffered, I suffered. I would not let them down. And if that meant laying down my freedom or life for them, then so be it. My purpose was higher than the throne.

_ Now, let all of those attachments go. Let them flow down the river. Forgotten. Raise your head as a man free of all chains and let yourself be free. _

I am Zuko. Judge me as I am. Not on my parents actions but on my own merit. Judge me as worthy!

This time, the pop was almost too much to bear. I yelled as every pore in my body seemed to open. It felt like I was being torn apart by the seams and yet, I knew I could bear it. I almost invited the pain, being that it felt cleansing and right.

-----------------------------

I opened my eyes, feeling the weight of the world off my shoulders. The colors seemed clearer to my eyes, the smells stronger and the sounds of the world seemed to be enfolding me.

"Bend lightning, Zuko," the Master directed, waving a hand for me to get up. The fire inside me burned like a roaring flame.

The energies flowing around me seemed eager to part, the positive and negative like two different colors on a palette my mother used to use to paint. My right hand pulled yang away from the left-handed ying. It was simple to allow the energy to flow through my body and let it flow out of me in a satisfying sizzle.

"You have released your chakras. Your power has been fully realized," the Guru said, with a broad smile. I had already sunk into a set of moves and found them easy to do. My body just streamed from one movement to the next, loose and relaxed. It was like walking in the dream world, weightless and wonderful. I don't know how long I stood there practicing. It seemed to be hours and seconds at the same time.

"Master, where do I go from here?" I asked, shifting my weight into another advanced set. I was suddenly aware of how comfortable I was, in my shirtless state.

"Your destiny does not lie in Ba Sing Se, Prince Zuko. A different path lies before you, if you wish," Master Pathik said softly, closing his eyes.

"Tell me everything," I asked, my voice soft. I felt as tired as a mouse-cat but I couldn't stop moving until he gave me leave. I had to keep training. "But we will discuss that soon. Rest now. I shall go train your Toph."

"Thank you," I whispered, bowing my head. "Thank you."

AN-Next chapter, Toph goes under the chakra check-up and a plan is created. Read and review!


	14. Set the Fire to the Third Bar

Okay, sorry for the delay but I am madly busy and I am barely able to find time for sleep! But thanks for your wonderful reviews. This chapter is…definitely something that you won't expect, but don't worry, I know what I am doing…I think. And to prove I do, I'm proposing a contest. The 400th review will have a preview of the next chapter and a cameo in the story (they pick a name, a Nation and some other stuff and are written in) Special thanks to Lover and Spleef, love you both.

I'm miles from where you are,  
I lay down on the cold ground  
And I, I pray that something picks me up

- Snow Patrol

Set the Fire to the Third Bar 

I hated waiting with Uncle. Waiting meant not knowing, and not knowing meant I had a lot of time to think about how badly this could go. I mean, sure I trusted Uncle and any friend of Uncle was a friend of mine. Still, I really liked protecting Sparky. It was sorta fun.

It had been hours since we had seen Sparky and I was not about to let myself show how much I missed him. I earth-bent for a bit, practicing the moves that made me who I was. It was all I could do.

After a few hours, I finally collapsed on the floor and waited for my prince to come.

Uncle didn't talk much while we waited. He just hummed to himself this song. "Leaves from the vine… falling so slow… like fragile tiny shells, drifting in the foam," he sang, in his own world.

"Nice song," I finally said. His voice had nice vibrations, and it was on perfect pitch, something most people couldn't manage.

"Thank you. My son used to love it," Uncle whispered. He sounded terrified and I didn't blame him. I also wondered what was being done to Sparky. I wish I could have watched over him, made sure the idiot didn't get himself killed. The stone here had a weird vibration that left sounds making odd echoes, hollower and longer notes. I didn't like that.

That Mai girl annoyed me too. I wondered if she was what people called "pretty." I didn't know what pretty meant, I didn't even know what my own face looked like. I didn't even know what Sparky or Uncle looked like, beside their vibrations. But people were more than vibrations.

Sparky liked Mai. He liked Mai the way that Twinkle-toes liked Sugar-Queen. Their heart-beats got quicker when their girls were around. Sokka's heartbeat never changed when I was around, but it definitely went wild when Suki was around.

Maybe I was ugly. I knew if I asked Uncle, he'd tell me I was adorable, but that wasn't surprising. He thought of me like a pet niece, which considering who his real niece had been, wasn't surprising. I wonder if Zuko was good-looking. I mean, I know he had muscles but I didn't know anything else about him. For all I know, he could look like a mung bean!

"Uncle, what do I look like?" I finally asked, making sure I was sounding bored. I didn't want to seem too girly.

"You look like Toph," Uncle supplied unhelpfully. That was not what I wanted to hear, but I figured it was the best I was going to get. "And Toph is a lovely person to be." Yeah, my personality I knew. It was my face I wanted to know about.

"Uncle, why didn't you succeed on the tasks?" I decided to ask, changing the topic. As soon as the words left my lips, I could already tell I had agitated him. His heartbeat had quickened considerably.

"There… were things I couldn't leave behind. Things in my past I couldn't face…" Uncle whispered. "I couldn't let go. And that was my failure. The pain… the pain is very terrible."

That was not good. If Uncle didn't succeed, then Sparky really had no chance. This wasn't fair; I'd have to spend months building him up again. "Well, can't you just stop thinking about the pain?" I asked, feeling the ground beneath my feet tremble slightly.

"I wish I could, dear one. But when you get to be my age, you have a lot of memories and not all of them are good ones. But I am a fortunate man; I have had many good ones."

"Like…?" I probed, eager to hear something interesting to pass the time till I had to ace this training with flying colors and tutor Sparky so he could pass too. Now, if I could just get a joint of meat, I'd be perfectly happy.

"Well, meeting you. That was very nice. And there was the time Zuko and I went to a lovely healer named Song, who had the most delicious roast duck," Uncle mused, giving a deep and fake belly laugh. The conversation was definitely grinding to a halt.

Of course, as I began contemplating this, I heard a horrible yell that was quite easy to recognize. Zuko was in trouble! "That idiot Guru is hurting him!"

"Calm down, Toph. I trust Master Pathik with my life. He knows what he is doing," Uncle said serenely, trying to hide how much his voice was shaking. He was nervous for him and he was just trying to pretend he wasn't.

"How do you know? Maybe he's gone stupid in his old age," I mumbled, still not liking the way Zuko was staying away so long.  
"You really do remind me of my nephew. You have no patience," Uncle laughed, trying to comfort me.

"If I would have had patience, I would have never learned Earthbending, I'd be some doll on my parent's shelf, waiting for someone to blow on my soup in case I might burn my dainty little lips," I spat.

"You hold a lot of anger, Toph. Your parents tried their best," Uncle said, completely misunderstanding my family situation. How could a wise old man be so stupid sometimes?

"They wanted to lock me up like a pet bird in some cage. How was that their best?" I demanded, before turning around to meet an interloper.

'Toph, I am ready to help you. Come along with me," the old creaky voice said, his footsteps so light that I could barely feel them. That made me really wary of him. I didn't like people I couldn't see.

"Where's Zuko?" I asked. I had tried to pretend to like the guy just to annoy Sparky, but all this time waiting and wondering was starting to make me paranoid. I mean, why should Uncle trust him?

"He's resting, young one. You will see him soon. Iroh, you can go find him in the sleeping quarters. And as for Toph, it is time to think about yourself," the Guru said in that annoying breathy tone that teachers often used on me when they thought they knew better.

"Go with him, Toph. I shall see you soon," Uncle said, patting my hand before pulling me to my feet. "I'll take good care of Zuko."  
"It is time to free your mind," that annoying Guru said, walking away, finally dragging his feet so I could see him.

"Yeah?" I demanded, as we walked up to the cliff. "What do I need to do?" This had better work.

"From your aura, I can see your chakra blockage stems from a different problem than most. It is one problem, one sore that makes the whole body weak. It is a build-up of anger due to your blindness," the Guru said softly.

"I'm fine with my blindness. I deal. I moved on," I growled. "Now can you?" It was annoying to hear his advice.

"I can't help you if you don't let me. The grain can only grow if the ground is willing to be toiled. Relax and open your mind to me," the Guru directed.

"I can't open my mind to you," I snapped. "It's not exactly a box." Was this complete lack of logic catching? I sure hoped not.  
"Come now, Toph. Do you know what a chakra is?" the guru asked, his voice growing soft.

"No," I muttered. It sounded like a food and not a very good tasting one. I still wanted to know how Zuko was.

"As your Zuko said, they are pools of swirling energy residing within the body. Each chakra can be blocked by emotions or thoughts which will cause stagnant energy throughout the body," he continued.

"My energy isn't very stagnant," I muttered. "Challenge me to a fight and you'll see how stagnant it is."

"Toph, why are you fighting against me so hard?" the Guru asked. "Is it because of your parents?"

"Look, just open my Chakras or something. I'm not here for a sob story session," I hissed.

"All right. Let us begin with a most appropriate chakra. The Earth Chakra is located at the base of the spine. It deals with survival, and is blocked by fear," the Guru said. "Visualize that chakra and meditate on what do you fear?"

"Nothing. I don't fear anything," I lied. Actually, I feared a lot of things but I wasn't about to tell him about it.

"Come now. Try and think about what you really want to avoid. Surely, there are some things, like being helpless," the Guru probed, hitting a really raw nerve.

"You don't know anything about me!" I snapped, picking up a pebble to chuck it at him. "Want to fight and see how helpless I am?"

"Perhaps you should rest," the Guru said quickly. "We will try again in the morning, when you will be refreshed."

"Fine. Will you take me to Zuko now?" I demanded; glad to be over with this entire stupid process.

"Of course. A good rest will help you and you two can talk in the morning. Zuko has already opened his chakras. Perhaps he could help you find guidance," the guru said, as his voice guided me down the hill and through some rocky passages. I really wondered why his feet barely made an impact on the ground. If that was what opening the chakras did to someone, I wanted no part of it.

"Here are some sleeping palettes. Rest well and think good thoughts, clear your mind of all negativity and focus on the purity of the people around you," the Guru babbled, which was really starting to give me a headache.

"Bye!" At least Zuko and Uncle were sleeping peacefully. The sound of their breathing was quite comfortable. The only problem was Zuko's heartbeat was off. It sounded even and peaceful and serene, more like Uncle's than mine. That bothered me. What did opening chakras do to a person?

I lay down on the soft blanket spread out for me and wondered what was going on in the world. I wish I knew.  
----------------------  
I could hear some light footsteps prowling around the sleeping quarters, but I couldn't feel danger. That old coot was most likely checking on us. Mom had always done that to me and it had always driven me crazy. "Go away," I muttered. Why did everyone have to feel I was helpless and needed minding? They should mind their own business and leave me alone.

That was the last thing I remembered, after that was a choking feeling as I breathed in something terrible. I tried to scream, but I kept coughing, my lungs aching for normal air.

Then everything went silent in my vision.

As I gasped away, I realized one thing.

This wasn't the Guru.

Useless… stupid… coot.

------------------  
I had often heard Zuko gripe that nothing ever was easy for him, that he was cursed with horrible luck. And now, I realized, he was absolutely right.

I was dangled off the floor like a chandelier, which left me completely unable to earth-bend or save myself. "Uncle? Sparky?" I asked, terrified at how blind and helpless I was. What if my friends couldn't find me?

"Sadly, yes. We're here too." Uncle said, with a creak of his chains. From the sounds of it, my friends weren't much better off.

"Surprise attack," Zuko said, confirming my earlier thoughts. "I hope they didn't hurt Master Pathik."

"That old coot? He should have protected us!" I argued, feeling horrible. How could we have trusted him?

"Let us not judge the tea till we've tasted it," Uncle said with a sigh. "Our guards are outside the door. They can hear every word we are saying. I suggest we therefore be silent," he said with a sharp edge to his voice. "The guards have not fed us, so we have no idea what kind of food they will serve," Uncle said, condolingly telling us he had no idea who was holding us.

A long silence followed, as I wondered; who had captured us? Were they agents of my dad? Dad would have no problem turning Zuko and Uncle over to the Fire Lord, Dad only cared about the bottom line of a proposition and wasn't exactly concerned over my friends.

Had the Earth Kingdom captured us? I could most likely offer some negotiations; I still carried my papers as a Beifong. But traveling with Zuko and Uncle would make me a traitor and they'd bury me alive for that. Even my parents couldn't stop a treason conviction, surprising as it sounded.

Could it be the Fire nation? Zuko's dad was a monster; he had sent family to kill family before. How did I know that more cousins hadn't been sent to kill out the family tree?

Had the guru been in on this? I hate to think Uncle could be fooled! He was such a wise old man!

My thoughts were disturbed when I heard footsteps invading the quiet of our misery. My ears counted six but I could hardly be sure, without my feet on the ground. It was like being swaddled and thrown into the river.

"Our leader wishes to see the boy," one of them barked angrily. I felt sick. I tried to earth-bend, but the chains were too tight. "Keep quiet the rest of you if you know what's good for you."

I heard the rustle of chains as Zuko was dragged to his feet. His breath had gone shallow, he was scared. I had to say, I was scared too. "Come along." It couldn't end here.

I felt tears begin to form in my eyes. It was not fair. Zuko had worked so hard. He had trained and gotten stronger. Now he was going to die. I should have been able to save him. It was my job to protect him. I failed. "Take me instead."

"Toph, shut it. I'll be fine," Zuko said gravely, which only made me feel worse. He was not supposed to be so wonderful! I heard his footsteps shuffle out dejectedly and I knew it was the end.

There was absolute silence for a long moment. Finally, the sobs I was holding in burst out of me. I was about to lose one of the best friends I had ever known, one of the only ones too. "He can't die."

Uncle's breathing was terrible. I could hear his pain in every note of his body. "All I have left is Zuko. He's… like my son in many ways. He's so dear to me," he whispered. "If I lose him, I will be alone again. I don't want to be alone. It's a very bad feeling."

At that, my sobs only increased. I hated crying, hating feeling weak and useless. "I won't accept that it's over. It can't be. I am not going to believe it till I feel it. We have to think of a plan to escape," I snarled through my tears.

"Why? If it's Ozai's men, he'll have us under heavy guard. Just pray it's the Earth Kingdom. I'll say we kidnapped you, so you'll escape punishment," Uncle said wearily, barely moving. His voice sounded emotionless and his heart rate was slowing even more.

"I don't want to escape punishment. I'm with you, to the end." It was a promise I aimed to keep.

AN-Who has Zuko, Iroh and Toph? Will Toph ever clear her Chakras? Be the 400th review and you'll know early!


	15. Whispers in the Dark

_Congratulations to__aheehee__ who was my 400__th__ reviewer! I hope you enjoyed the preview! Okay, this story is officially AU, and there will be no spoilers from the leaked episodes. So don't worry! Special thanks to my beta-readers, Spleef and Lover and to everyone who reviewed. Okay, new contest. I will pick a random review out of a hat and give that person an early preview every chapter. So review and you just might win. Hey, I love games so why not have one. _

_Okay, so who has captured our favorite people? Find out now! _

I will be the one that's gonna find you  
I will be the one that's gonna guide you  
My love is a burning, consuming fire

---Skillet

Whispers in the Dark 

Being kidnapped had terrified me. And yet, the fear was no longer overwhelming. There was a peace in me, a slow burning but relaxed flame in me, like a coiled serpent, at rest but ready to spring at anytime.

I was trying to be stoic. I would not let my captors see me tremble in fear. It was worse enough watching Toph suffer like that. She always acted so strong, but in those moments she had seemed so frightened. It was my job to make her feel safe. My uncle tried to act strong too, but he needed me. And I might never see them again.

I was led into a room slowly, the chains holding me securely. As I entered the chamber, I found myself facing the back of a kneeling man, surrounded by candles. "Your name?" a gravely voice asked.

"Is none of your concern," I asked, feeling a jab to my ribs. "And who are you? One of Azula's lackeys? An Earth kingdom regiment?" I could feel my mind clouding with anger again.

"You have answered my question, Zuko," the man said calmly. "Still possessing the family temper?"

"Who the hell are you? How dare you address me informally? You are just Azula's puppet. Well, face me like a man," I challenged, ready to die fighting. His voice seemed familiar enough; he must be some minor palace official I had forgotten.

"Your tone displeases me. I expected more from a son of Ursa," the man said, turning around to me with a neutral expression. As soon as I saw his face, I sank into a deep bow, ignoring the awkwardness of the manacles. "That is better," I heard him say approvingly.

"I apologize for my rudeness, Grandfather," I whispered, lowering my head. This man was my mother's father, one of the few family members I had left. Hearing his voice brought back such wonderful memories of better times for me. Besides, he was a legend.

I had worshipped this relative, despite exile and shame. He was as skilled as Uncle, but would have no problem beating the stuffing out of me if I mouthed off. I knew that from…personal experience.

"You have grown in height and temper, my grandchild. I hope you have also grown in wisdom," Grandfather said softly, his voice stern. "But nevertheless, you should be released," he said, gesturing with his hand. The chains were removed and I stepped forward to meet my elderly grandfather. "It brings me joy to see you again."

"It's been a long time, Grandfather. I'm honored to see you again," I said, bowing again. It was good to have another friend, besides Uncle and Toph.

"Together again, this time both of us in exile. I see the Fire has marked you too," Grandfather said softly, touching my shoulder. "We always had too much in common. You'll forgive the capture. I cannot be too careful. Our family…often can't be trusted."

"Yes. Just make your men release Uncle and the girl with her. She's safe too," I explained.

"The guards will have them brought here as well. Sit, Zuko. I wish to speak with you," Grandfather said softly, as the candles dimmed affectionately. "My thoughts often turned to you in my exile. I have long wished to train you in the curse we share," he gestured, motioning me to sit beside him.

"Curse, Grandfather?" I asked, waiting to see my family again. I relaxed for the first time since I had been captured yesterday. It reminded me of being back in tunes with the teachings of the Guru again.

"The curse of fire, Zuko. We Fire Nation are born as keepers to a wild beast inside us, which rages and grows and spreads like a plague. We have lost our minds and gone mad with power and anger. Your father…my nephew, the things he had done to you makes me sick. To think I let my little Ursa, my dearest little daughter marry him. I was not there to protect you."

"It would be an honor to train with you, Grandfather. I lost my honor," I said, unsure how to react to criticism of my father. I had finally learned to hold my tongue.

"Silence, my boy. Honor! We Fire Nation kill for honor; we die for honor and then what is left? Death and suffering!" Grandfather said, as he offered me a plate of food. "There is no honor."

I wasn't sure what to say. I had never had a problem keeping my tongue before, but the last few weeks had given me a lot to think about. Too much. "Grandfather…I killed Azula."

Grandfather's flames flickering dangerously, as a jangle of chains entered the room. I looked up, as Uncle was lead inside, following by a man carrying a squirming Toph, who was mumbling obscenities. "You did what?"

"Uncle!" Uncle said, completely shocked. "I did not expect you to find us." The look on Uncle's face was priceless.

"Nephew. What is this about the death of my granddaughter at the hands of my grandson?" Grandfather said, his voice tingling with anger.

"Wait. If you're Uncle, then who is Uncle?" Toph queried as she was untied and placed on the ground.

"Uncle, can you explain this to Toph?" I asked, too ashamed to think straight. I could just imagine what Grandfather thought of me.

"Wait, which uncle do you mean? Skinny uncle or not so skinny uncle?" Toph demanded, sounding even more confused.

"Lady Toph Beifong, may I present Prince Jananger, youngest son of the late Fire Lord Sozin, half-brother of Fire Lord Azulon. Fire Lord Azulon was my father, so that makes Jeong-Jeong, as we always called him, my uncle," Uncle explained. "You may just refer to him as 'sir', he likes that."

"I heard about you. You deserted the Fire Nation, so I guess you aren't out to kill us. So you are Sparky's great-uncle? " Toph said, rubbing her rope burns. "I can see the family love for torture."

"He's my grandfather. My mother Ursa was his daughter. So he's both," I mumbled.

"So your dad married his first cousin?" Toph asked, looking disgusted. "That's just really gross."

"For the many generations. The dragon does not mate with the mole bear," Grandfather said, looking very regal indeed. "My late wife Ruolan was the granddaughter of the Fire Avatar Roku."

"No wonder your family is screwy. Even a blind girl could see that," Toph muttered darkly.

"When tainted by fire, a tree cannot grow," Grandfather retorted. "And tainted by fratricide!" I lowered my eyes. "To kill your own sister, what depths have you sunk to?"

"Zuko didn't kill Fire Bitch. I did," Toph said, holding her head tall. "She attacked us on Ozai's orders. It was her job to kill us all. We defended ourselves. Sparky and Uncle here are my friends. I will take down anyone who threatens them," she said, her eyes glinting.  
Uncle held up his hand. "Toph speaks the truth, Uncle. Azula was tracking us. We had no choice," he said quietly.

Grandfather slowly nodded, though he still looked rather sour. "Azula, another tragedy. Ozai had turned her against her own family?" he asked.

"She lost her mind, Uncle. Hasn't Ursa told you that?" Uncle asked, putting his hand on my shoulder.

"My…mother?" I couldn't imagine seeing her again. Everyone had always told me she was dead. My father had burned almost every picture of her and had whipped servants who had dared mention her name.

"Go wake up Ursa," Grandfather said, waving his hand imperiously to one of the silent guards. "Break the news gently to her."

"Why did…she leave?" I whispered, feeling my heart beating in my chest like a war drum.

"I will allow her to tell you that herself. It is her story to tell. I just know that there is little she has desired more than to see you, my grandson," Grandfather answered regally, his voice calming me.

"Could somebody please explain what the hell is going on here?" Toph muttered, barely breaking the rhythm of my thoughts. "And why did Zuko's grandfather kidnap us all?"

"Hush," Uncle said, taking her hand with his free hand. "All will be explained." He sounded so sure. I had so many questions I needed to ask, so many answers I was afraid to know.

I watched her appear out of the shadows. There were lines on her face that I didn't remember, her hair was in a loose braid and her rough cotton shift did not do her justice. Yet, I would recognize her anywhere. Those beautiful eyes that looked clearly at people, that stubborn chin that could melt my father, that perfect smile that dazzled the entire court.

I couldn't move. I just watched her move closer to me, gliding like the princess she was. "My son," she whispered, enfolding me into her embrace until all I could breathe was her scent. "My Zuko."

"Mom," I whispered, hugging her as tightly as I could. "Mom." It was the only word I could get out of my chocked throat.

"Zuko, my love, my baby boy. You've grown up so much," Mom said, tracing my scar with her hand. "What has been done to you?" she sounded like she was crying.

"I'm fine. It doesn't hurt anymore. I've missed you so much. I have so much to ask you." I had a million, stupid things to say to her and now it was my chance to finally do it.

"Give me a moment. Let me greet everyone, so I can devote all my attention to you," Mom said, kissing my forehead. "Iroh!"

"My dearest Ursa," Uncle said, kissing Mom's free hand. "I have missed you greatly. And you are more radiant than ever. And our confused friend here is Toph Beifong, your son's teacher and protector."

"A mother's thanks," Mom said, bowing slightly to Toph. "It is an honor to meet you."

"Yeah…umm…you have a nice family…mostly," Toph said awkwardly, obviously feeling left out in the family reunion.

"Thank you, my dear. I'm glad you see the best in us. It's sometimes hard to see," Mom said, still sounding pretty choked up.

"I can't wait anymore. Why did you leave me?" I asked, my voice cracking with emotion. "I need to know now!"  
"I did it because I had no other choice. The night your grandfather died, he gave your father a terrible order. But not to kill you. He gave the order for you to be given to your uncle Iroh for adoption. Zuko, you would take your place before your father in succession, you would no longer be our son."

Uncle paled at that in the Fire Lord. "No matter who would be his legal father, Ursa, he would have always remained your son. But I would have been honored to raise Zuko," he whispered.

"And you did raise him. And for that, you will always have my gratitude. But Zuko, your father was furious at the thought of you replacing him. He vowed that he would kill you before he would ever allow you to become Iroh's heir."

"Nice family you've got there," Toph said bitterly, her blind eyes narrowed with anger.

"But I came to him with a proposition. I would use pressure points to kill Azulon and forge a signature to allow him to be king. But I would leave him and take you with me. Ozai laughed and said that I could keep you; he had no use for you. And I realized that you were the only one who could carry the Fire nation back to its former glory. So…I made the terrible choice and left you there. Please forgive me, Zuko," Mother said breathlessly, squeezing my hand. "Even when you were in exile, I longed to find you, but Father said I had to maintain my distance. You had to return to your throne and knowing I was alive would convince you to abandon your mission. I did what I had to do."

It was so much to take in. "So Uncle is the true Fire Lord and…I'm his heir?" I whispered. "Grandfather didn't want me dead? Father…did?" It was all so much to take in.

"Yes. Your father loved us all once. But he loved power much more. I lost the man I loved and the kingdom lost a good and honorable man," Mom whispered. I couldn't take my eyes off her, fearful she would disappear again. "But now, we are all reunited."

"You will forgive the subterfuge. When we were traveling, we captured a prisoner, a young lady named Mai. Under…some pressure, she revealed your plans to meet up at Ba Sing Se. I knew Iroh would also visit the Guru. So we tracked you there and kidnapped you. Although Ozai may have taken you back for conquering Ba Sing Se, you would never be safe. Therefore, we hatched a plot of how to restore you to your place completely and remove Ozai…entirely," Grandfather said. "And your Earth-bending friend is the key to the entire plan."

_AN-Didn't expect that, did you? _


	16. If Only

**Sorry for the long delay but I got a scholarship and I had mounds of paperwork to do. I didn't forget you all! I'll definitely start writing the next chapter in a week, as soon as I get back from my trip. I have it all planned out so the delay will be shorter. Thank you for all your reviews and good wishes, as well as to my beta-readers! Okay, here's the next chapter!**

If Only

Believing that history repeats  
itself year after year.  
all the fears that the future is worse  
we have to give in to a hundred year curse  
sweat in the sun like we're diggin a grave  
dig deep enough and our fortune is saved

----Fiction Plane

I was happy for Sparky. I really was. I wasn't jealous that he spent the entire evening sitting at his mother's feet, like some bearded cat. He had never been so happy sitting with me and Uncle. His heart-beat was going through the roof, just brimming with life.

I wasn't jealous. She sounded like a nice person, she had thanked me for helping her son, but there was something between Zuko and his mom that I would never have with my own parents. Not that I envied him, my parents were idiots but they had never banished me or tried to have me killed. It was just… confusing, to have him so busy with someone else.

Jeong-Jeong had called a banquet to tell all of his followers his plot to restore Zuko to the throne, as the crown Prince. The plan was mostly over my head, mumblings about various generals, who would be allies and who would be enemies, and all that blabbity conquer the world stuff that royal people discussed. I concentrated on eating my dinner, which consisted of roasted meat chunks which would have made Snoozles happy. I was starting to wonder what had happened to them. I wonder if they were all right.

"Toph, are you all right?" Uncle asked, poking me in the ribs. There were too many people here, which was confusing my senses. I could barely make sense of the entire discussion! I had half a mind to throw something!"It is not often you are so quiet."

I shrugged. "Just thinking," I answered, wondering why Zuko hadn't noticed how quiet I had been. Okay, the prince was a bit dense; maybe I was expecting a bit too much from him.

"Yes, I can see that. I was hoping you would tell me what you were thinking about," Uncle mused, putting some berries into my hand. He always seemed to know what I needed. Sweet things definitely made things better.

"Well, the plan. I return with Lady Ursa to Ozai. I use the formula we decided and he coughs his life out, leaving the throne to Zuko. Zuko restores you and Jeong-Jeong to be his advisors. Everyone rejoices. Doesn't seem too hard, I'll be able to do it while whistling," I answered. It would give me a lot of joy to take care of the person who had hurt my friends so much. "Besides, Zuko has other things on his mind." Things like his family, which didn't include me.

"Yes. He hasn't seen his mother in years. I am happy to see them reunited. Lady Ursa always brought out the best in people… well… most people," Uncle said, dancing around the subject of the bitch princess. "And I know she thinks you are wonderful."

"I guess," I mumbled. I just… wished my family understood me so well. Zuko's dad may have been a freak, but his mom, uncle and grandpa seemed all right. In fact, I wanted to spar him myself. I knew he was old, but from his walk, he had some awesome power. And I really loved a challenge.

"You are really a hero, Toph. If you hadn't come back, I could see myself end up in Azula's hands and Zuko lost to darkness. But you changed him into someone wonderful, someone worthy to be a Fire Lord. The Fire Nation owes you a great debt," Uncle said, squeezing my hand. "If this plan works, you will go down as a savior in our history scrolls."

"Well… I wish I could give them a read," I joked, obviously flattered. I liked the idea of being the one who changed history. Zuko would have to notice someone who changed the course of humanity itself. "Maybe Sparky can read them to me, while I sit back and enjoy a cool drink. Saviors of nations need their perks."

"What about the war?" Zuko asked his grandfather, as he munched on some lettuce. "Do I attack Ba Sing Se or try and take another blow at the Northern Water Tribe?" he asked. "It's not like me taking the throne will change the war."

"Let us get you on the throne first, grandson. You have much training to do before you can be an effective leader. For now, Lady Beifong and your mother are taking care of the situation," Jeong-Jeong said coldly, in a tone that would have made Twinkle-toes cry. I liked Jeong-Jeong.

"Yes, Grandfather," Zuko mumbled, sounding a bit embarrassed. Well, I felt bad for the guy but he should learn not to ask stupid questions like that. "I apologize."

"And Lady Beifong, how easily can you bend the dust without attracting undue attention?" Zuko's mom said in this voice that indicated she was trying to sound maternal. Frankly, that was not making me very comfortable.

"I can handle it," I mumbled, wishing I didn't resent all mothers. She was most likely a nice person, but letting her know that would mean admitting I missed my mother a lot. And in my own way, I did.

"Your kindness to us will not be forgotten," Zuko's mom said, her hair swishing loudly around her face. I wonder what she looked like, or smelled like. My mother smelled of peaches. "We are so blessed to have you helping us. I apologize for asking so much from you. A child as you shouldn't be forced into this awful war."

"Sparky's my family too," I said sourly. "I've defended his life before. That's what people do. And I am not a child." At that, I stomped out. I wasn't about to fight Zuko's mother, but I was not going to let her baby me too.

"Iroh, did I offend the poor dear?" I heard Zuko's mother say as I left the room. Yes, she had. She made me into some stupid helpless child. Just like my own parents had.

* * *

I wandered through the camp for a long time. I really wanted to talk to someone, but I just didn't know who to speak to. Zuko was being coddled by Mommy dearest, Uncle was on her side too and Jeong-Jeong was not exactly a neutral party either. I was the only one who understood what I was going through. It was not a very good feeling. 

Jeong-Jeong had a neat little operation going. He had a lot of followers, Fire and Earth Nation types all united against Ozai. I had to admire him being a strong enough leader to get them to work together. They all trained each other to be a really powerful militia, and were prepared to fight their former army comrades to get Zuko back on the throne. Sparky could really learn a lot from this guy.

I was starting to understand that our merry adventures were about to end. Zuko's mom and I were going to get him on the throne and then he wouldn't need me anymore. By being a good friend, I was going to lose my friend.

I was being selfish. Zuko deserved to be Fire Lord. He'd be a good one, he'd serve his people right. He'd just be too busy to sit under the stars and talk with me anymore.

Speak of the devil. Zuko was sitting on a stone by the river, breathing heavily. He had obviously been letting off some steam with firebending. The air around him was really cold, but he didn't seem to be shivering. Maybe Firebenders didn't get cold as easily. Or maybe he just didn't notice it. He seemed to be deep in thought. I hoped he didn't hurt himself thinking so hard. "A lot is about to change," he said softly, noticing me standing there. His hearing was getting really good. I was impressed.

"Life is change," I said, quoting Uncle. The man had some major wisdom and he was one of the few people who could get through to Zuko, even if the idiot sometimes underestimated him.

"My own father wanted to kill me rather than let me be adopted by Uncle," he said, a slight quiver in his voice. "I… wish it was a lie." Yeah, I guess he had bigger problems than I did. He just didn't need to know that.

"Your dad is a creep. He's about to get a nice glassy taste of justice. Forget about him," I comforted, wondering if I was doing it right. I would have preferred just punching him in the arm. The air was pleasant. Birds sang in the trees and only a slight rumbling disturbed my sight. It was the perfect evening for anything but this discussion.

"I have no choice but to kill him, do I? Shouldn't I leave it to the Avatar? Is killing my father my destiny?" Zuko queried, going through one of his stupid philosophical musings again.

"I say destiny's a load of rhino dung. Why rely on it when you can take things into your own hands? We are going to make your destiny," I informed him, giving him that desired shoulder punch. Had I stayed with my parents' plan for my destiny, I'd have never been happy.

"I don't have any other choice. The plan is set. Mother and you are leaving in the morning," Zuko said, sounding like he had a lot more to say, but he couldn't seem to know what to say. This seemed to be a common problem with him.

"Yeah," I agreed, trying to figure out what he was trying to say. He was really hard to understand sometimes.

"Is that why you got so upset? Mom felt terrible," Zuko said softly. His heart beat was calm and he sounded worried about me. I know how much he loved his mother and I know he should be mad at me for upsetting her. Yet, he wasn't. "She didn't intend to upset you."

"Don't worry, I'm fine. You are the one who should be worrying. Your grandpa is going to be training you. I think he might be as tough as I am. It will be good to see you whipped into shape when I come back," I said, swiftly changing the subject. Jeong-Jeong seemed pretty strict to me; he'd keep Sparky in tip-top shape.

"Yeah. He said I can become a master fairly soon. And he is going to teach me how to be a proper Fire Lord. But… I… wanted to thank you. For everything," Zuko muttered gruffly. His heart beat was fast, fast the way it had been with Mai. I couldn't believe it. He cared about me. "Without you… I would have been a lot worse off. You have been… a very valuable ally to me." He was really being mushy and I was enjoying every minute of it.

"You're not bad yourself, fancy-pants," I said, trying to mock him for old times sake. I might never see him again. Ozai might kill Lady Ursa and I, our plans could be discovered and everything would be lost. It seemed like either I would be the best friend in the world or I would be dead. Either way, it would be an amazing adventure. "Clearing your chakras did you some good."

"It's a whole level of clarity. When I am calm, I can just see again. Everything seems so understandable when I see it through that level of…it makes no sense. You understand though?" he asked. He had no idea.

"Of course I do," I said with a laugh. He didn't need to know that my chakras were as clogged as a broken spigot. It was better he be kept in the dark. Sparky had enough to worry about, without knowing about my issues with chakra control.

"You…better survive. You didn't have to volunteer for this mission," Zuko growled protectively. "I'm supposed to protect you." What an idiot, I could wrestle him with one hand behind my back. I suppose he had gotten stronger since I had begun kicking him into high gear, but I could still take him.

I punched his arm. "I'll take my chances," I laughed. "I'm the Blind Bandit, I'm the champ. Let me do the protecting here." If this worked, Zuko would be the Fire Lord. I wonder if he would even remember me when he wore the crown. "I'll be fine. I doubt you'll even miss me."

Zuko bent down and gently kissed my forehead, like my father had done. He still saw me as a little girl. "Thank you," he mumbled, sounding really embarrassed. "Thank you for everything."

And for a moment, I was very quiet. My heart was beating in my ears and my cheeks were very hot. Part of me wanted a real kiss… but standing there, knowing I was the only thing on his mind was almost enough. "Zuko… I…" I began…before realizing how he would laugh if I told him how I felt. "I'll be fine."

"You better be," Zuko whispered. "Because if you die for me, I will never forgive you."

* * *

I was definitely not a morning person. In fact, I think my lack of sight had given me an intense hatred for that bright cheery period known as dawn. So it took all my effort not to rock-bend Zuko's mother. "What do you want?" I mumbled. 

"We must go, Lady Beifong. I would prefer fewer goodbyes when we go on our mission," she said, gently nudging me.

"That seems to be your mode of operation. Go off on your missions and leave your loved ones behind. I'm sure Zuko can survive his heart broken again and being abandoned," I snapped. "I know what you did to him."

I expected anger. "I had no choice. I love my son," Zuko's mother whispered, but the beating of her heart told me she knew I was right. "I did what I knew was best."

"I'm sure you did. And when Zuko awoke to find himself with no mommy and a dad who was willing to kill him, I'm sure he understood very well why you did it. I think the least you can do is just say goodbye to him. He does love you, you know."

"I... can see why Iroh and Zuko hold you in such high esteem. You're very persuasive. If you can pack your things, I'll go wake Zuko up and tell him goodbye. I shall meet you outside by the camp fire." Her heartbeat was achingly sad. I almost felt bad that I had hurt her feelings.

"No need. They are waiting outside for us. I can feel their footsteps," I said. It seems they knew their customers. My things had been packed the night before, so all I needed to do was walk Zuko's mother out to say goodbye.

"Come home safely, daughter," Jeong-Jeong said softly, as I heard them embrace. "Ozai is a shrewd man, but you know how to handle him."

"I can do it, Father. He cost me both my children's happiness. He cost me my happiness, my years of watching my children grow up. He will pay for this. With Toph at my side, I can't fail."

"Thank you, Lady Beifong. All I can say is thank you," Jeong-Jeong said softly. "Go in glory." I could hear him bow slightly.  
"Be strong, sister. The Fire Lily grows best in cold weather," Uncle said, embracing Zuko's mother. "You always liked my parables."

"I did. And soon, I'll hear them as often as I'd like," she said, as I heard her clothes rustle into a hug.

"Toph... I have nothing to say. You're too wise for all of us," Uncle said, patting my shoulder. "Behave yourself when you see my brother. Give him my best." I knew exactly what he meant.

Zuko's heart beat was filled with the most fear. "I... Mom...Toph... just... well..." he whispered, sounding like he was choking back tears.

"My love, this time, our separation will be very short. Time is of the essence, you know I do everything for your own benefit. And... I'm sorry. I'm sorry for leaving you. It was wrong of me and I will never forgive myself for the pain that I caused," Zuko's mom said, falling to her knees.

Zuko immediately knelt down next to her. 'You never kneel to me," he said in a horrified tone. "I'm your son, I'd never be angry. I love you, Mom."

I smiled, trying to blink back that itchy sensation in my eyes. I missed my own parents too... just a little bit. "And no mushy goodbyes for me. Before you know it, I'll be training you again."

Through the shifting of his weight, I could see Zuko had bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master Toph," he said, giving me the ultimate sign of respect. "Give my father my hello."

It took all my strength to get on the rhino provided for Zuko's mum and me and let her take the reins. My throat was too thick to even speak to him. "So... how do you plan to get back into the Fire Nation?" I asked. I really should have paid more attention to this plan.

"The truth. My name is Ursa, daughter of Jahanger, wife of Fire Lord Ozai. I demand safe passage home," she said confidently. And I knew we were talking major business now. We were heading straight into the heart of the Fire Nation, to the monster Ozai himself.

Bring it.

**AN-I hope that was worth the wait. A lot more is coming!  
**


	17. Collide

Sorry for the delay, but I was at an academic conference, working and all that nice stuff that pays the bills. Well, I'm back now! And you get to see Zuko and Katara's pov of what's happening. How is that for a treat? Well, here's another, we're going to have a little contest. If I get to 500 reviews, I'll pick my favorite review from them and give them a reward, a preview of the next chapter. And I'll even let you cheat. You can increase your chances by also reviewing older chapters as well! Well, enough of that, back to the story!

**Collide**

Don't stop here  
I lost my place  
I'm close behind  
Well even the best fall down sometimes

---**Howie Day**

They were gone. I could actually feel the physical hole in my spirit in the shape of a little Earthbender and a mother who I thought was dead. I had lived without them but now, having them taken away from me was like being...blind. Toph would hate if I said that, she didn't tolerate anyone pitying the blind. Of course, if I had the ability to see with my feet, maybe I would understand. Right now, the world seemed really dark.

Now that I had cleared my chakras, I had a terrible feeling of emptiness inside me. At first, I thought it was a feeling of peace, a hole where the anger used to be and now was filled with clearly flowing chakra. But now, it was just a gaping wound where nothing existed, but a broken, lonely heart.

After I could no longer see them riding off into the distance, I walked away, wanting to be alone. I needed to train hard, I needed to make myself ready to be Lord. I needed to stop thinking about how much I missed them and what I would give to be able to go with them.

As I sunk into a deep horse stance, I tried to feel the fire inside me. Usually, all I needed was to think was about my quest for the Avatar and I could summon the feeling of rage inside me. When I was with the Guru, I could bend lightning, but I couldn't summon those feelings anymore.

Right kick. I remembered smelling my mother's perfume on pillows and how it faded away with time. The fire was barely a wisp, pathetic and useless.

Punch. Toph's evil grin as she trained me till my muscles ached with agony and I longed to scream from exhaustion. Still, barely a little heat. It was the Firebending of an infant, not a future king.

"I can't do this," I whispered, sinking to my knees. I wasn't worth what everyone was doing for me. Grandfather and Uncle would be ashamed of me. And I deserved it. Azula...even in death laughed at me. As a toddler, she could already create mini-infernos. Was I destined to lag behind her forever?

"Prince Zuko, General wishes to eat breakfast with you," a small voice said. I turned to look around at a small girl who looked horribly sooty.

"And who are you?" I asked, feeling completely humiliated. Did this kid see my struggling to perform the simplest of tasks?

"I guess I'm your aunt Mindo. Your grandfather is my father," she said, flicking some leaves out of her long black hair. "Ursa always talked about you, it's nice to meet you finally."

"But…my grandmother died…" I mumbled, confused. How could this be possible?

"Yeah, and he remarried. I can't wait for you to meet Mama. She can't wait to see you either. Our very own champion, Ursa always said you'd be the one to fix all the mistakes our nation is doing," Mindo said excitedly. "I'm so proud to be your auntie." Her golden eyes shone so brightly. She didn't even know that I was useless.

"Yeah…so, show me where Uncle is," I said, changing the topic. I wasn't entirely inclined to think I had a whole other family that I didn't know, that my mother had enjoyed a life filled with friendship and companionship, leaving me to isolation in the palace with the insane portion of my family.

"Sure!" Mindo bounced down the path, reminding me of Toph. They might even be good friends if Toph ever returned. I wondered what it would have been like to grow up with this as my family, with a forest as my home, with a loving grandfather and mother to care for me. I would have happily given up my throne for that.

Arriving at my uncle's tent, I wondered if I should ask any of these questions. I honestly wanted to talk to him, but the answers I got were worse than the questions I seemed to be asking. "Uncle?"

"Come in, Nephew. Come in and sit down. Your dear mother left us with a delicious goodbye meal and I could not steal all of it for myself," Uncle said. He looked surprisingly calm for all the events happening.

"I was just…practicing bending. Having a tiny bit of trouble. I didn't mean to keep you waiting," I mumbled, grabbing some of the small buns of bread my mother had made.

"Yes. I wanted to speak to you about that. After you studied with the Guru, I was expecting this to happen, you to lose your ability to bend properly," Uncle said in a sagely tone.

"How did you know?" I asked. Sometimes, my uncle could be very freaky and all-knowing. I wondered if he was entirely mortal.

"My nephew...do you know why I am called the Dragon of the West?" Uncle asked, sipping his hot leaf juice with a calm that frightened me. Having a neutered Firebender would kill any plans of a hostile takeover of the Fire Nation.

"Because you hunted and killed the last Dragon. Every school-child in the kingdom knows that," I answered sadly, pondering how Toph and Mother would think, risking their lives for someone so helpless.

"That was the lie I told my father. I did not slay the last Dragon," Uncle said with a chuckle as he took some honey on the porridge. "But it's good that so many believe I did."

"You lied to Grandfather Azulon?" I was shocked. No one lied to Grandfather, he was a figure that terrified even my father. The man had walls with the heads of his enemies on pikes and rumor had it in his younger years, he had beheaded the guilty ones himself. Though, I supposed Mother had not feared him.

"I had to. We had gone mad, killing our dragons, our beloved friends who carried us into the skies. When I saw the last two, I was heartbroken to think my children and grandchildren would not live to see these magnificent creatures. So I spared them," Uncle explained, breathing deeply.

"So there are still dragons?" I asked. I wasn't sure the point of this story, but I had to admit it was a good one. There was a lot to my uncle I really still didn't know.

"Yes. And they taught me a new form of Firebending. Uncle Jeong-Jeong is right. Today's Firebending is based on anger and hatred. But originally, we were driven by our creativity and our passion for life. While I was learning from the Dragons, I met the Sun Warriors." Uncle stroked his beard, looking quite content.

"The Sun Warriors?" I asked, wondering why I didn't know the legends of my people were fact?

"They taught fire represents life and energy, as if there was a sun within every firebender. They are keepers of the Eternal Flame, a great fire that is said to be the first given to mankind by the dragons. But Great Grandfather Sozin changed that and created a style of Firebending based on anger and hatred. That was Azula and Ozai's power, they hated much more powerfully than you could ever muster. But I am pleased to see you have let go of your anger and have allowed yourself a new direction. Toph's teachings have refined you greatly. And it is finally time to complete your training. You will begin to visualize fire properly."

I nodded. "I'm ready."

* * *

My brother Sokka said it best. It seemed like our luck had finally run out. After escaping from the library, we were captured by Sandbenders. The three of us spent days tied up in a sand ship in the blistering hot sand, too weak to even fight back. Aang was starting to get ill and they were the only source of water we had. We had no idea where Appa was, but we were sure he was safe. At least, we hoped he was. We had sent him to get help, but he still hadn't returned. 

At night, Sokka would mutter about how he would get back his boomerang and club and take revenge. "Teach 'em all a lesson." It killed him to be a prisoner, instead of defeating the Fire Nation. We weren't aware of how much time had passed between the time our journey interrupted and our current march into oblivion. All we knew was every time our weary eyes closed in sleep, it was another day that Aang lost to master Earth and Fire, another day that the Fire Lord gained power.

A poke in my side meant the Sand-benders wanted us to move. They kept us on bare rations and water, but it was enough to keep us alive. What they would do to us when they reached an outpost, I didn't want to know.

On the twentieth day…or was it the thirtieth…we finally reached an outpost. From what we could hear, they were going to sell us to the coal mines. "Katara…I'm sorry," Aang whispered, breaking the long silence. "I keep trying to go into the Avatar State, but I'm too tired."

"It's okay. We'll escape very soon," I whispered, stroking his forehead. "I promise, it will be okay."

"What if they separate us?" Sokka said. "I'm not letting them do that. We'll have to fight back. Aang…you need to try to do all that magic stuff," he urged. "Or we might not see each other again."

"I'm trying. I just…feel something weird inside me, an emptiness that I just can't explain." He looked so forlorn and thin and weak. I wished I could pour my strength into him and hold him until he could find that incurable optimism in him.

"Someone's coming," Sokka whispered. "I loosed my ties slightly, I think I can jump him." We waited with baited breath, unspoken plan forming between us. Sokka would knock the person out, untie me and we'd carry Aang as far away as we could, until we could find some friends.

The person at the tent door astounded us. Beautiful green eyes, long brown hair and a shy smile. "Haru?" we all asked.

"Yes. When I heard two Water Tribesmen and a bald kid were up for sale, I borrowed some money and came immediately. You're coming home to Mom and Dad, all right? We have…a visitor, a large…erm…hairy visitor who is waiting to see you. He got wounded, but he's been bellowing for you. He'll be so happy to see you," Haru said with a smile. He looked like a vision. "I'll cut your ropes. How did you get into this situation? Get falsely captured again?" he asked, bending a stone blade. After fervent thanks, we were soon untied and piled unto a nice wagon driven by Tyro, to take us back home.

"What day is it?" Sokka asked. He had been quiet ever since the rescue."I need to know the time," he suddenly whispered.

"The tenth day of the month of the Dragon," Haru answered mildly. "Is something wrong?"

"The Day of the Black Sun is tomorrow. It's the one day where the Fire Nation will be vulnerable. But even when we get Appa back, we'll never reach Ba Sing Se in time. We've lost this breach in their defenses," Sokka whispered, his face ashen. I put a hand on his shoulder and realized I was trembling too. All this wasted time where we could have been winning the war? It felt like the whole world had turned back before my eyes.

"Then we'll have to come up with another plan. We will not give up! Katara, you followed me into prison when we had no hope and you gave us the belief that no matter how desperate the circumstances, we can get through this. You found me when I needed you. And I found you when you needed help. And we are going to find some way of ending this war. It's Aang's destiny and our destiny to help him," Haru said, taking my free hand and squeezing it.

Aang lay silently off to the side. "I'm scared," he whispered, his shoulders shaking. "The Fire Lord has had so much time to prepare and I've been so helpless. Maybe I'm not destined to do this."

"You're the Avatar, Master of Four Elements. It's in the job description," I teased, trying to lighten the mood. I couldn't let my friends see how broken I really was. Haru was right.

Something would work out. I knew it.

**AN-And now back to Toph! About the Sandbenders, I don't think they knew it was Avatar Aang and his companions, they saw three runaways in the desert without much food or water. In their minds, selling them to slavery is more merciful than letting them die in the desert, and would bring them profit. **


	18. Into the Fire

_Sorry for the delay, but I am happy to be able to post a new chapter for you. I am starting to do articles professionally now, so that cuts into fanfic time. But have no fear, you are more important to me than sleep! I am so happy to be moving the plot into one of the most interesting arcs for me to write! Thanks to everyone who reviewed!_

I will stare into the sun until its light doesn't blind me  
I will walk into the fire until its heat doesn't burn me  
And I will feed the fire

---Sarah McLachlan

Into the Fire

I really didn't think it would be that easy to get into the Fire Nation. They had guards, traps and all sorts of other things to make the journey not worth your time. Even my parents, who collaborated with the Fire Lord had never actually stepped foot on the home country.So how did the world's greatest Earthbender and a queen plan to lead a full scale invasion and assassination mission?

"So you do have a plan, right?" I demanded, breaking the tense silence as we rode endlessly together through the smell of a forest. The sun's heat traveled down my back for a long time, meaning an entire day had passed. Ursa had tried to talk a few times, but I had preferred to keep silent. I didn't like her and I wasn't going to go easy on her for all the tea in Gaoling. She had walked out on her own family…a lot like I had,but she had left Zuko in a terrible situation and therefore, she was not on my good side. Besides, I missed Sparky and Uncle way too much. I had gotten used to having them around, and it was tough to be alone again. I finally had friends…friends who cared about me. Take that, Dad!

"Yes, I do," Ursa said softly, her posture shifting elegantly as we rode. She was actually a fine rhino-rider, much better than Uncle or Sparky. She also smelled much better than they did. But I didn't plan to tell her that.

"What are you going to do, go up to Fire nation soldiers and say 'I'm your queen, take me to your leader' in a sweet voice?" I demanded, knowing I was being a brat. Still, it was a valid question. I wasn't afraid of the mission, but I liked to have a strategy when entering a new situation.

"Actually, I am," Ursa said in a mild tone, not rankled by my nasty comments. "There's a base not too far from here. They will be taking us to the Fire Lord. I have taken everything we need." She was so perky and happy. I wondered how she could have given birth to Fire Bitch and Sparky. "Remember, if they ask, you're my maid, Aiko. Don't let anyone know you can Earthbend. Just stay silent and let me protect you."

"I don't need your protection. I protected your son from your daughter. I can take care of things," I muttered, still furious. Mothers weren't supposed to walk out on their kids. My mom had her issues, but she'd have thrown herself into a volcano for me. I didn't want to think that I had abandoned her. Well, I was allowed to abandon her because my situation was different. I still planned to go back eventually, once I had my fun.

"I don't think I will ever deserve forgiveness for what I have done," Ursa said quietly. "You were there for him for when I could not. I truly thank you for all you have done for him." She didn't even get angry. I wondered how she managed to keep calm when I was being so nasty to her. Maybe she realized that I was right and that she had nothing to say to defend her. But maybe there was more to her than I thought possible.

Of course, when we arrived at the base, I hadn't expected her to actually do it. But she did. She got herself and me off the rhino, removed something from her pocket and walked over to the troops. "I'm your queen, take me to your leader," she chirped. I had raised my hands, ready to start stoning people. But it actually worked. Next thing I knew, everyone was bowing before her.

Sometimes, I felt like Snoozles, sarcasm biting me in the whale blubber. I didn't think it would actually be that easy. And I was starting to wonder if it shouldn't be that easy.

* * *

The trip to the Fire Ntion was the worst week of my entire life. And that included the week that my mother attempted to teach me to sew and I spent next few days pricking everything but the fabric.

The entire ship was made of metal, which left me as blind as bat-wolf, and just as grumpy. Bumping up into every single surface had made me queasy, and for some reason, I was sea-sick. So I guess I had no choice but to spend as much time as possible sleeping. Ursa had sponged my forehead as I tried to keep down any food, and stayed with me constantly. She sang to me and told me how happy I had made her. She told me funny stories about when Sparky was a little kid.

For the first six days, I closed my eyes and pretended I was too sick to talk, but allowed myself to squeeze her hand. It was just to make the cramps feel a little better. And she did have this really nice smell…like jasmine. She and my mother used the same perfume. For some reason, that made me feel slightly better.

"And poor Lu Ten was there, locked in the closet. Zuko had pulled the latch and the prince of our nation was stuck there. What a good natured boy he was…he would have made a fine leader someday," Ursa said, giggling in spite of herself. "Such a good hearted child. After his mother died, he sometimes would call me Mama when no one else was listening."

"Did...Ozai ever…love Zuko?" I finally asked, when I realized we were completely alone. I knew my parents didn't understand me, but I knew they cared about me. I couldn't imagine a person hating their own child and hurting him as badly as Sparky had been.

"I don't know if Ozai ever loved anyone. He had…a very bad childhood. His mother died when he was very young and he grew up in Iroh's shadow. Your dear uncle wasn't always a good person. He was always jolly and charming, but he had a cruel wit and he didn't give Ozai much kindness. Ozai grew up bitterly alone and by the time I married him, he was set in his ways."

"Did he hurt you?" I wheezed. I didn't know how she could bear to live with such a horrible person. Why didn't she run away with her son sooner?

"Not in the way you think. At the beginning, it was all right. We were young and Ozai seemed to enjoy having me around. We were both poets and we enjoyed many of the same things. He was so intelligent, and he seemed to enjoy listening to me. He would bring me flowers and put them in my hair. It was a very happy existence. Then I nearly died having Zuko and we had our first fight. Zuko was such a sickly baby that Ozai said "he was lucky to be born" and suggested drowning him, only as a joke…he said. Each year, a little more of that quiet scholar I married disappeared, leaving just a tyrant, hungry for power. But…I loved him once, very much. I was fourteen when I married him and I thought he was so handsome and educated."

"And you're prepared to help me?" I asked. I mean, if she had second thoughts, she could get us both killed.

"I once had a daughter. And now she's dead. I once had a son. And he's no longer a prince. Something has to be done." She got another hand squeeze from me on that one.

* * *

Arriving in the Fire nation was not a pleasant experience. We were met by one of Azula's lackeys, the perkiest person anyone had ever met. "Try Me," had returned to the Fire Nation for more money from her parents and had been wrangled into being our guide. "Oh Lady Ursa, your aura is lovely!"

"Thank you dear. I suppose we're expected," Ursa said calmly, as she helped me pin a flower into my hair so I'd look more like a lady in waiting.

"Oh, there's a parade for you. Our Lady has returned. It's wonderful," Ty Nee Brain said, clapping her hands like a trained lion seal. I had such an urge to knock her over the head and stop the incessant squealing.

"How wonderful. My servant Aiko is ill and it will be good to return to the palace so she may receive treatment," Ursa said, taking my hand. Obviously she had figured out I needed help till I could reach the earth. For now, I'd let her help me. It most likely made her feel better.

Getting on the ground had been wonderful and I almost kissed the wonderful dirt beneath my feet. I knew ladies in waiting or Earth Rumble champions weren't supposed to do that, so I resisted. Of course, riding in a palanquin wasn't much better. The loud cheering from the crowd and the stuffy curtained quarters was enough to make me queasy again. At least Ty Lee wasn't journeying with us or I would have been forced to practice some martial arts on her.

"This is a good sign," I whispered, trying to distract myself from the constant lurching. Earth Kingdom slaves were so much more balanced. Were all Firebenders completely hot-headed and unstable?

"Let's hope so," Ursa returned, her heart beat getting much faster. She was quite frightened. I couldn't imagine what it was like to come back to a man who had destroyed everything you held dear, and then to do it and have to pretend to actually love him.

"Everyone seems happy to see you," I murmured, still hoping I didn't spray what was left of my breakfast all over Ursa. Why couldn't I have walked, I was just pretending to be one of the hired help? I'd give my fortune for some rock beneath my toes right now!

"I'm a princess in my own right, as you know. The Fire Nation does love its royal family." Ursa took a long deep breath to steady herself, and I could hear her hands rapidly smoothing the silk of her gown.

"It's a pity the royal family doesn't love each other," I said dryly, my sarcasm hiding my nervousness and irritation. I was being ornery and I knew it, but I was seconds from tossing up my stomach.

Ursa took another long and calming breath, before patting my shoulder. "We once did. Lu Ten, Lien and Iroh were the perfect family, they were so happy with each other. And…well…Toph, I can't help what happened in the past. I've been punished enough. My son was banished and scarred. My daughter is dead. My nephew is dead. My father is a fugitive. Our mission is not easy for me. Please, don't make this harder on me. Don't you think I've hated myself for years for what I did?"

And for the first time in a very long time, I did something unthinkable. "I'm sorry. You aren't half bad," I muttered, knowing that I had finally pushed her too far. She was a good person who had made a mistake. And she was making up for it. I suppose I could forgive her. "So…tell me more about the Fire Nation?"

Finally, I got to step down on the soil! A metal-gloved hand helped me down and I relished in the feel of dirt between my feet. I had slit the bottoms of my shoes before I had left, making me much more comfortable.

As soon as I could "see" again, I was shocked to see how big the palace was. From my best foot estimate, it was about six of my own estates above ground and quite a lot more below ground. And there were a lot of people around, people who could most likely bend fire and outnumbered me by quite a lot. _Keep calm, keep smiling_. "Welcome, your majesty," they chorused, bowing deeply again and again. They were welcoming until they were ordered to kill us.

We were walked down a long series of corridors. I wished I could see what was around, but we were moving too fast for me to even register anything but the fact that my heart was beating in my ears. The sound of all those feet smacking against the floor sounded horribly martial to me. How long before we got to this stupid tyrant? Where they going to walk us to death?

Finally, we reached the throne room, a cavernous hall of a room with a hot area at the very end. Despite the heat at back, the floor beneath was so very cold. Even the stone seemed unwelcoming and horrible. It was as if all the warmth in the room had been stolen, leaving me chilled to the marrow. We fell to our knees and bowed till our foreheads touched the floor. "My lord," Ursa whispered in a cool, dignified tone. She had no fear. He could have her executed on the spot, and yet, she acted as if she was visiting for breakfast. I didn't know how she managed to keep her voice so level.

"My…lady," the man who was kneeling on the throne whispered, sounding shocked. His breathing was excellent, disciplined and controlled. He was a very good warrior, that much I could tell. "It was said you died." I had so much stone around me. I could take him; I could rip him apart for what he did to my friends. And I would…very soon.

"Only in my heart, my lord. I longed for you and our beloved children. But I would not dare return, to protect us," Ursa said in an emotionless tone. 'But no heir has proven worthy. And I returned to your side to comfort you." How could she speak to him this way? This was the man who had taken a thirteen year old child, burned him and banished him?

"If they were weak enough to die, then I do not need comfort. Zuko was a failure and your daughter Azula is dead. The next children will be better. You are the granddaughter of the most powerful bender in Fire Nation, you can surely do better." He cared nothing for his own children. He wasn't a man, he was a monster. I longed to cut out his heart, but I doubt he had any.

"I live to serve, my lord," Ursa whispered, and I felt her shoulders shake slightly. And I realized she wasn't afraid of him. Her heart was racing in anger and betrayal but there was no terror at all. This woman was ready to fight and kill for her child. Maybe there was something I could respect about her.

"Who is this girl?" Ozai suddenly asked. "Your bastard daughter?" he demanded. "You dare parade her before me?" I had this sudden surge of fear, something I had never had before.

"Dear husband, I was gone from your side but six years. This child is twelve. She's my maid, a slave I purchased to assist me. Her name is Aiko; she's just a poor peasant girl." Ursa's cold laugh was frightening and reminded me too much of her daughter. They both had spines of steel.

As I bowed again, like a good little slave girl, I gave a sweet smile. I didn't mention that the smile was distracting the thin stream of glass dust that had been ground for me by Jeong-Jeong's men, making its way into Ozai's lungs, cutting and tears with their tiny little points. I kept bending the dust, my grin never fading.

Breathe deep. And choke on it.

_AN-Toph was born to be bad!_


	19. Hunter

There was nothing to do in the palace

Sorry for the delay, lack of Avatar is taking its toll! That and I am a professional writer now, so when I am relaxing, writing is less fun and more work. Okay, the final arc of this story begins and I think you will be very satisfied. Special thanks to the betas!

If you were a king  
Up there on your throne  
Would you be wise enough to let me go  
For this queen you think you own  
Wants to be a hunter again  
I want to see the world alone again  
To take a chance on life again  
So let me go...

For the crown you've placed upon my head  
Feels too heavy now  
And I don't know what to say to you  
But I'll smile anyhow  
And all the time I'm thinking  
Thinking...

--Dido

Hunter 

Two horrible weeks had passed. There was nothing to do in the palace. Besides "slowly" killing Ozai whenever I was in the same room as him and feeding the turtle-ducks, I was bored out of my mind. It wasn't hard to constantly bend the glass dust into his lungs and I needed more of a challenge. This sneaking around slow method wasn't my way; I was an Earthbender, for Agni's sake. This sneaking around was Twinkle-toes' method, I preferred going for the jugular. I had asked to take him out using some real bending, but Ursa said the death had to look natural. So he'd die naturally and I'd die of boredom.

I really was going to lose my mind. I couldn't practice my earth-bending in the Fire Nation or I'd get us both killed. And I missed Zuko and Uncle. A life without annoying the former and listening to the latter wasn't really much fun. There was so much I wanted to say to Zuko, stupid things that I couldn't tell Ursa. I just missed hearing his…vibrations around me.

Maybe it was just loneliness. The Fire Nation Royal Palace was one of the emptiest places I had ever felt. It was like my home, all the fun and joy sucked out of it. And as much as I had grown up with servants, I still found it creepy how everyone planted their face to the ground when Ursa and I passed. I didn't need that much respect!

I had sat through a few boring meetings and listened to the generals discuss how "the drill" would take care of Ba Sing Se. I wanted to speak up, but after learning Zuko's story, I realized this was not exactly the right crowd. Even if Ozai was slowly becoming weaker due to my little glass friends, I still had no wish to mess with him.

So it was wonderful when I was awoken in the middle of the night by my favorite queen. I usually hated being woken up from a nice deep sleep but this was a special occasion, I was about to do something amazing. "The Fire Lord is sick and has summoned me to his chambers. Come along," she whispered, taking my hand as she literally pulled me out of bed. Our footsteps echoed far too loudly and I might have squeezed Ursa's hand. I felt something drape around my shoulders and then we are off, walking through the empty halls, our silk gowns swishing in the night air.

It didn't seem to take very long to arrive at the Imperial Apartment. With a wave of her hand, Ursa walked me into the chambers. Immediately, I felt the need for more secrecy. Half the court was in this room and they were all buzzing around, making the sitatuon worse. From a bed, came the sounds of racking coughs, announcing my inherent and horribly slow victory. "Clear the room. I must tend to my lord," Ursa said smoothly.

"But my lady," one courtier said, his voice echoing from his fat belly. "My lord should not be…"

"Thank you, but it would be best if he rested," Ursa said, as the feet began to move towards the door. I was impressed by her dignity. She reminded me of my mother, the way the servants listened to her and obeyed her. And at that moment, I really wished I had my mother, I was scared!

"Thank you. Those vultures," Ozai said as the room was now just the three of us. "They just wait for me to die."

"Yes, my lord," Ursa said, kneeling down at his bedside with me beside her. The silk of her gown rustled even more as she adjusted the covers for him. He didn't know this would soon be his shroud.

"I thought everything would get better once you came home," Ozai said bitterly. "I had plans to gain sons, many more sons, who would not shame me by being weak. Prodigies like Azula," Ozai said in a tone that made me sick.

Obviously, Ursa shared my disbelief. "So you could destroy them again? Zuko is scarred and banished and Azula was such a monster that her own brother was forced to kill her. I think we should avoid adding to our progeny," she said in a level tone.

"How dare you speak to me this way?" Ozai hissed, trying to roar but couldn't quite summon the energy. I had given him enough glass dust to make his lungs like sponges. Cruel but very effective.

"What are you going to do about it? According to my lady Toph here, your lungs are shredded beyond belief. Firebending comes from the breath and you, husband can barely draw enough to breathe," Ursa continued, her heart beating much faster in righteous fury. "And soon, you won't be able to at all."

"You're going to let me die," Ozai said in a blank tone, sounding like he didn't believe her. "You, who swore to love, honor and obey me?"

"You will learn respect and suffering will be your teacher," Ursa said in a cold tone. "I have suffered at your hands and I did not learn any respect. I learned that you are unworthy of the throne and you are unworthy of me." I had to force myself not to applaud, this definitely was Zuko's mother!

"Why did you do this?" Ozai rasped, his voice breaking. I could feel his life fade away as he fought for every breath. It was a beautiful sound. "You were my wife, I did not treat you badly. I never beat you or forced myself on you. I even avoided the harems as much as possible. "His lungs were destroyed, I knew it just by listening to him.  
"Didn't you hear a word I said? You destroyed my son's life. You made my daughter into a monster. I did everything you asked, I did everything obediently and cheerfully. I warmed your bed, bore your children, bandaged your wounds and was a loyal and dutiful wife. And you annihilated my family, my happiness, everything I have, you've taken away," Ursa said.

"I...did love you," Ozai whispered in a cold tone. He actually sounded human now, a man who had lost everything and knew it. "Even if you were worthless and treasonous. Treasonous witch. Agni shall reign down punishment on you for your sins against your lord Husband. " It was a cheap and empty threat, one that made him seem even more pathetic.

"I was all that for you. I murdered and I lied for the ones I love. But Agni has rewarded me. You're going to die and I am going to have a happy life with Zuko and Toph and my father and Iroh. And Zuko is going to rule this empire you created and be a better ruler than you can ever imagine. And you're going to die a failure, scorned by everyone, including your own wife," Ursa said, making a sudden movement with her hands. It was too fast for me to track but there was something deadly in it. I could feel her anger in the pumping of her blood.

It only took a second. I had no idea what it did; it was too fast for me to track. It was like a hand becoming a knife, but no bending was involved! I didn't know she had it in her! The next second, Ozai gasped and his heart stopped.

It was over. It was all over and the tyrant was dead. I wasn't sure if I should be happy or shocked but I knew I was relieved. I finally was finished with this stupid hiding around, pretending to be a little doll again. I could be me, a real warrior again!

"I couldn't let you become a killer, Toph. I'm already one." I felt Ursa try to calm herself down. She was still breathing heavily, but I could feel a sense of peace in her. "I did love him once, Toph. But...I loved someone more," Ursa said softly. Her voice was shaking now.

"Zuko?" I asked, my voice shaking with all the mix of feelings I had now. I still wished Zuko could be here to see this. I knew it would be hard for him to see his father dead, but he needed to hear and know what his loved ones had done for him, because of how worthy he was to us.

Ursa laughed, a young sounding laugh that made her seem Katara's age. "Yes, but there are different kinds of love. My love for Zuko is impossible to measure but...I also love Iroh in a different way. I've loved him for many years and...when I return, I will finally tell him. I'm no longer bound to Ozai. I'm free, Toph. I'm so very free," Ursa said, her heart rate beating at a mile a minute.

"I'm happy for you," I said, taking her hand and squeezing it tightly. "I really am." The whole world was free. We had done what Aang had failed to do; we had brought down the Fire Lord. History books would talk about me, Toph Bei Fong, the blind girl who had changed the course of the world. I liked that very much.

"So, shall we go out and make history?" Ursa said, removing something from her belt and guiding me outside the room. From the vibrations, I could feel the entire room was filled with people.

"The Fire Lord is dead," Ursa said in a low tone. "I bring to you his last will and testament. I, Ozai, son of Azulon, son of Sozin the Conqueror, Anointed of Agni and Fire Lord, have been called to my ancestors. It is my wish that my son and only surviving child Zuko be anointed in my place as the master of the Fire Nation. I rescind his banishment and declare in my own hand that he is a true born son of Agni. I wish him luck ruling the lands and ask that Agni shine his grace upon him," Ursa read out with a swish of her sleeves.

'But..." one councilor said, not knowing that the reign of terror was over and nothing could stop it. It had been the same courtier from before. I had a feeling he wouldn't be around long.

"The Lord has spoken. I shall direct the messengers to the current location of the new Fire Lord with my servant Toph. Until that moment, I will assume the role of regent. Direct all matters of state to myself, as Lady Mother of the Fire Nation," Ursa said in a dignified tone.  
I bit my lip to avoid smiling. My best friend was a king now. I couldn't wait to tell him myself.

* * *

One month later, I returned to Jeong Jeong's camp, at the head of a delegation of Fire Nobility. This time, the journey had not been long and painful. I still got nauseous on the new Fire Nation air ship, but I had something holding me up.

Ursa had given me the directions to find Jeong Jeong's camp and the signals to announce it was safe. And finally, after around two months of waiting, I felt the vibrations of my two favorite guys in the whole world. "Toph…you're back," Zuko said, looking shocked. "What happened." He had tensed up at the sight of all the guards accompanying me but Ursa had selected them personally for their loyalty. They were here with robes and jewels and everything Zuko needed.

I had thought long and hard about how I would break the news to him. But at that moment, I changed my plans and did something I thought I'd never do. It just seemed right. I knelt down before Sparky and said "You have been declared Fire Lord." Every other person with me had bent knee as well, paying homage to my student! "Aren't you glad to see me?"

By the beating of his heart, I knew he was.

AN-You think that's the end? HA! Oh, there's plenty more and some romance is coming! Review question: Do you want to know more about Zuko's time with Iroh and Jeong-Jeong or move on with the plot?


	20. Follow Me

All right, we return to Zuko and the masses have spoken, on with the plot. There are only a few chapters left, but there is still some big twists. And we'll be meeting up with Aang soon, who yes, will be in for a big surprise. How do you think he will react to Ozai being dead? Special thanks to the people who reviewed, if I could hug you for making my day, I would. And yes, there will be some romance for Zuko and Toph coming up in a couple of chapters, but I have a few things they need to do first.

_You don't know how you met me  
You don't know why, you cant turn around and say good-bye  
All you know is when I'm with you I make you free  
And swim through your veins like a fish in the sea  
I'm singing...Follow me_

_Everything is alright  
I'll be the one to tuck you in at night  
And if you want to leave I can guarantee  
You won't find nobody else like me_

_-Uncle Kracker_

Follow Me

I dreamed of Toph. Every day, I would train myself to be worthy of the aid she had given me. And every night, I dreamed of the little friend I finally got, the one who kicked me with her sharp wit but was ready to die for me, but not, as she would assure me, before she kicked some serious ass.

My father was going to be executed. I knew I had sent my mother and my best friend to kill a man, to become murderers. I knew he deserved to die for all he did, for wanting me to die, for turning my sister into a monster, for destroying Uncle, for ruining my mother's life. I knew the only way I could set things right was over his dead body. Uncle had been very clear about that and I knew I believed him. I just wished I didn't have to do this. I wanted a normal family, with a father who loved me. Of course, I was grateful to Grandfather and Uncle for their training and Mother and Toph for their sacrifice, but it left me with only my thoughts to occupy me.

Each day, I practiced the new style of Firebending, feeling myself grow stronger. I meditated like Guru Pathik had taught me and I cleared my chakras. I spent hours talking to Uncle and Grandfather, learning about how to be a proper ruler and commander. I did everything I should be doing, but it all felt so useless, knowing my loved ones could be discovered and killed at any moment. I knew both were well trained warriors, but what could two women do against a whole army?

"Trust them," Uncle told, when he found me sitting alone on a rock for hours, tearing leaves. I knew he should scold me for wasting time, but I supposed that he knew how much I was suffering. "Soon, they will return." I didn't know how he remained so hopeful, especially considering he had lost nearly everyone he loved.

"And what if they don't?" I whispered, my worst fears confirmed. I knew my father was capable of anything, if he caught them, I'd have little to live for. I'd be forever in exile and two innocent people would have died meaninglessly. Even if I had Uncle and Grandfather, I knew they two would be paralyzed by grief, something I was not eager to see.

"Do not allow yourself to live in fear, nephew. It's a terrible way to live," Uncle told me before leaving me alone with my thoughts.

"Grandson, what is the proper response to a flood?" Grandfather would quiz me as I would pick over a dinner, pondering how terrible things could get. I'd answer softly and be lectured on all the various ways a king could respond without risking revolution. Being a king sounded terrifying. Even though I had been prepared for it for all of my life, I was afraid of Toph and Mom returning home and even more afraid that I would never see them again.

Long weeks passed me by and I had almost begun to lose hope, when early one morning, I heard a noise outside my tent, disturbing my meditation. Looking outside, I saw the cause of my loss in concentration.

"An air ship!" came Mindo, my little "aunt' called, running through the camp with her long braids trailing after her like sails on a ship. "Everyone hide." This could be the end of us all. If Mother or Toph broke under torture, then thousands of Fire Nation troops could be awaiting us at any moment.

"Everyone to battle positions," my grandfather called as spears and swords were brought out and children tucked away into hiding spots with kisses and false promises that everything would be all right. I had already grabbed my Dao swords and got ready to defend and if need be avenge my loved ones.

"It's forty troops," one hissed as we climbed into the trees to plan the attack. "And one little girl."

Could it actually be? "Stop the attack, she's one of us," I hissed as we watched the strange procession troop down beneath us. "Climb down and meet them." She looked so wonderful in her red Fire Nation robes and her hair done in a traditional style. She looked like the family she was to me.

Toph didn't seem to even react as our warriors descended from the trees, though the soldiers had removed their weapons. In some ways, she most likely knew we had all been there. Underneath the proper exterior was the girl who had thrown mud pies at me.

"Toph…you're back," I said, wondering if this was all possible. Could I have finally achieved happiness? My father was dead, that was the only way this was possible and yet, the thought of him being gone terrified me. "What happened?" It was a stupid question but I couldn't think of anything else to say at the moment. I knew the answer but I needed to hear it from her lips.

Toph gave me a radiant smile that made her look older than the little kid who had left with my mother. "You have been declared Fire Lord." At that, she motioned for a soldier to hold out the crown to me on a silken pillow.

As I placed it into my hair with a shaking hand, everyone kneeled to me. "Aren't you glad to see me?" my best friend asked, as I watched everyone bow before me. I asked myself the question, as I studied the people around me, paying special attention to my uncle, my grandfather and my friend. In the Fire Nation waited my beloved mother, who was organizing my government. They all were paying respect to me, yet everything I was now was because they had risked everything for me. I had done nothing to deserve their kindness.

"Please rise," I mumbled, completely embarrassed. I would have to get used to being above people who were so far above me in so many ways. "My father is..."

"Yes. Your mom is now the regent of the empire and has sent the royal guard to get you, and bring you your new clothing and take you back to the Fire Nation. I'm not a messenger, you know," Toph said, with a teasing smile, recalling my fallen sister's words. She had rose to her feet and had thrown herself into Uncle's arms. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, my dear one. As for your majesty..." Uncle began, but I had already shook my head. He had a better claim to the throne than me, I would never allow him to be my servant. "Nephew, what is your plan now that you have inherited the throne?" Uncle asked, with a tender smile. It was a question I wasn't yet ready to deal with. I had resigned myself to exile and disgrace, the crown felt foreign and frightening to me.

"We will discuss this over dinner. Toph should rest after her trip," I mumbled, trying to settle my raging thoughts. I was Fire Lord now, my father was dead and my mother was now regent of the empire. How was I supposed to believe that after how cursed my life was, it was all working out now.

"I'm not tired. I'll race you to the peach tree at the edge of camp, Sparky," Toph said, somehow sensing I needed a few minutes. Somehow she could almost read my mind. Everyone backed away to give me the space. They were my people now and I was their leader. This was a heavy weight to bear. I definitely needed some time to think about this.

"It was quiet without you," I whispered, as we walked off from the crowd and into the forest together. It was nice to have her back. I had a lot of stupid things to say to her, but now that she was back, they all seemed pretty meaningless now. She had already yanked up her dress and her bare feet were squelching happily through the grass and mud.

"Yeah, it wasn't much better in your palace. It's so quiet and boring there, no wrestling matches or mud baths. When you're Fire Lord, you have to let me do some redecorating," Toph said, giving me a mischievous smile.

"Fine. When we return to the palace, you have free reign to make your new home just the way you like it," I said, wondering how much more clearly I could show her she was important to me.

"Who says I'll be moving into the Fire Nation?" Toph teased, bending her head in my direction. I missed someone finally speaking to me in such an irreverent manner. One thing, the little Earthbender could make me smile.

"Well, where else are you going?" I asked. "Back to your parents to make tea and play the pipa?"I tried to be light about it, but the thought of losing the best and only friend I ever had would be pretty painful.

"I don't need anyone. I'll travel the world alone, I have the money and the wits, I don't need much else," Toph said, breaking a stone with a flick of her finger. "But I think I'll stay for a little while longer and make sure you don't manage to muck everything up."

"Thanks, I appreciate it," I said, putting my hand on her shoulder. "I...didn't like not having you around." It was awkward to say it, but it was nice to finally admit I found the environment unpleasant without her.

"Same here," Toph said, shaking out her hair from the expensive hair clips. "I met your dad, you know. And good news, I think you're adopted," she said softly, giving me a nudge with her elbow. "Real bastard, said the worst things to your mother before she died."

I debated bringing up the topic further and asking what my father had said before he was assassinated, but after all this time with people who actually cared for me, I was starting to doubt I wanted to know. He was dead and couldn't hurt us anymore. "I see. So...now what?"

"Now? I don't know, ask Uncle and Jeong-Jeong. They're the ones with the experience. Me, my talent is smashing things and I have a feeling you don't want to smash the Earth Kingdom anymore," Toph said lightly as she bended a rock to knock a plum off a tree.

"Yeah. Uncle and Grandfather mentioned that the war is stretching the Empire's resources too far. They said you could only hold so many nuts in your hand before they all dropped out," I explained. There was always the risk of rebellion and the need for troops was never-ending, the army was recruiting younger and younger. Wives and mothers had to do without their men for long times and families were broken apart. Uncle and Grandfather had lost a lot to the war. Everyone had and it was time to find some way of satisfying everyone.

"Well...Aang was supposed to bring peace to the world," Toph said softly, her tone getting more serious. "But so far, he has been mucking it up. He was supposed to be the one who took out Ozai. But it was your mother who did it."

"Well, I always knew that the Avatar would be the solution to my problems but now I'm not so sure. I mean...it's on me now, I wasn't born to take on the world," I mumbled, knowing I could never have the raw power my bald nemesis would have.

"The world doesn't need a savior, some magical guy who is supposed to save us from ourselves. Why not take action yourself? And don't tell me it's not your destiny. It was supposed to be Aang's destiny to take out your dad. But I did it and now it's your turn to step up to the plate and grab Destiny by the balls and yank," she said, being her usual wise but graphic self.

I winced at the description, but I had to admit she made sense. She had done what the Master of Four Elements couldn't. And maybe, just maybe, so could I. "Fine. But you're helping me on this," I mumbled, feeling a bit ashamed that my closest confidence was a half grown girl. Of course, all my friends as children had been girls, Mai and Ty Lee. So I supposed nothing much had changed.

"Yes, your majesty," Toph mocked, dropping an elegant bow, with the grace her noble upbringing had given her. Seeing her behave that way always gave me a thrill, the way I loved seeing my old-looking uncle turn opponents to mush. My loved ones were a lot more than they seemed. "You have a hundred years of war to unravel. You better get as much help as you need."

"Actually...that's not a bad idea. Get help to end the war," I mused to myself. Other people shared my interests in ending the war, didn't they? They were being bled dry from the war and they had a great stake in having it over at any price. "Let's get back to camp and my scribe. I have to clear it with Uncle and Grandfather, but I think I have a plan."

After nods of horror and approval from various members of my entourage, I had two hawks with copies of the following letter sent out. My plan was already all set and every person knew their mission. Uncle and Toph would be my advisors on the mission and each knew their roles. Toph would be my lie revealer and through a subtle series of signals that we would be practicing, would be my hunter for deceit. And Uncle, with all his wisdom would make sure I used the information properly.

Grandfather would be pardoned officially with his followers and allowed to return to visit their loved ones that they had not seen in years. They had offered to come with me, but I knew they deserved a chance to enjoy a normal life again. That was why I was doing this, even though it seemed crazy.

_ "To the Chief of the Northern Water Tribe and the King of Ba Sing Se,  
I, Fire Lord Zuko, right high and right excellent master of his domains, anointed of Agni, by right and inheritance through my father, the late Lord Ozai wish you well and send my fond greetings as a new brother leader.  
It would please me greatly if a truce could be declared and a conference could be held on the Fire Nation Island of Tuyet, equidistant for all of us to discuss a possible settlement. Air ships will be provided to transport you and your retinue. I give my royal word that you and your representatives will be completely safe and under my protection and it will be my pleasure and honor to house and feed your parties as long as the conference should last._

_Signed by my own hand,  
Lord Zuko, son of Ozai, Master of the Fire Nation. _

AN-Negotiations are always a good idea, right? Well, we'll be seeing some canon characters and one major canon jerk!


	21. Jericho

**Okay, I am going to try and finish this story before updating my other ones. There will be around five more chapters (two of them already pre-written) and I think you will all be satisfied. So here is my next chapter, and I think you will definitely enjoy it! Thanks Spleef, you rock!**

**You are a dreamer of dreams walking a lonely shore.  
Dream if you will but remember there are iron laws.  
However much you seek to solve this mystery,  
no one ignores the iron vice of history.  
All those gone before dreamed to escape.  
They tried to fly over the palisades**

**--Johnny Clegg**

**Jericho**

Traveling by Fire Nation War airship was surprisingly easy. Even though we were floating hundreds of feet above the land, I felt comfortable on my throne. With nothing else to do but spend time with my loved ones, it was a nice existence. Uncle and I had long conversations about life and kingship and I realized how happy we now. Our journey together hadn't ended, but it had taken a much better turn. Now, we traveled together towards a better future.

Of course, Toph was not as happy with the trip. She still had her issues with flight and she had taken to clutching me or Uncle a lot and muttering about the fact that the air ship was shaking. We had been flying into some wind and Toph had finally insisted on remaining in her bed of rock. Uncle and I switched off sitting with her and reading her stories. "This wasn't so bad when I was going to give you the crown," she kept muttering.

"Well, we're flying over the mountains, it's a bit more windy," we kept assuring her. I couldn't imagine how terrifying it was for her to be completely helpless, and yet she never said a word about it. Uncle said she was the strongest person he knew. Coming from him, that was a major compliment.

"Sparky?" Toph whispered one night when I was sitting with her, reading her a story about the Sun God Agni and how he rose over the mountains to visit his wife, the Mountain Goddess Kishar and how the two of them slayed the evil Face Stealer and trapped him in the spirit world. It was one of my favorite ones, one my mother used to tell me. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Yeah," I asked, wondering if she was all right. After all this, I would have the finest doctors in my kingdom look after her. It still felt strange to say my kingdom, as its Fire Lord. "What's on your mind?"

"You and that Mai girl...are you two engaged?" Toph whispered, her voice shaking a bit.

I shrugged. Why was she being so weird? Toph wasn't the type of girl to think about weddings and girly stuff.

"We...liked each other as children. But...I was supposed to be royalty and have an arranged marriage, it was going to be her or Ty Lee. Whoever my father felt would give him better grandchildren," I muttered, which seemed to please Toph. I guess she really didn't like Mai and didn't want to think of having her as a new sister in law. "So no, I am not getting married to her yet."

"Do you want to marry her?" Toph asked, her voice rising a bit as if she was asking if I wanted to steal Uncle's precious tea.

"I don't know. Right now, I just want to be Fire Lord. I'll face that challenge when it happens," I said, shuddering at the girl my uncle and mother would choose to be my bride.

"Good. Now go away and tell me when we arrive," Toph mumbled, giving me a soft smile. "I think I can finally sleep again."

* * *

"The Island of Tuyet used to be a trading port for all the nations, a place where people of all tribes used to come to do commerce," Uncle explained as we touched down. It had taken us two weeks and Toph practically ran off the gangplank. "And Toph, kissing the earth is not a custom practiced here."

"Oh, earth and stone and dirt," she cheered, dancing around like a complete madwoman. It was nice to see her moving around again.

"Have the other leaders come?" I asked as my aides on the base came up to greet me. I had been dressed in my finest robes and my crown had been put in my hair, which had been newly oiled. Toph and Uncle both wore crowns as well, as members of the royal family. I had already endowed her with land and would give her a title as soon as we returned to the Fire Nation.

"Yes. They have already arrived and are waiting for your Majesty. They have both been assigned their rooms and we are keeping them from communicating," Colonel Shynu said bowing deeply, stepping forward.

"Excellent. I shall see them immediately," I said, sweeping past them and feeling every inch a king. Today, I was going to end the war and I was going to go down in history.

"I'm hungry. After we save the world, can we have some meat?" Toph asked, taking my arm. "And hot tea for Uncle."  
"Sure," I said, giving her a smile. I was feeling good and she was part of the reason why. I was thinking of giving her this castle as a way of saying thank you for all she had done for me. I would give her anything right now, to be walking around with a crown on my head, servants bowing before me and a world free of my father.

We entered the audience chamber, decorated in High Fire Nation decor. It was so good to be home again, all that soothing red and gold and orange, looking like a sunrise and reminding me I was no longer in disgrace. The only thing upsetting the perfect balance of color was a couple of fur-clad Water Tribe yokels, dressed in blue. "May I present His Majesty, Lord Zuko, son of Ozai, anointed of Agni and Master of the Fire Nation, Prince Iroh and General Toph," the page said, as I relished hearing that title.

"Welcome your Majesty. I am High Chief Hahn, Lord of the Northern Water Tribe and master of all Waterbenders," a furry-looking teenager said, holding his nose in the air like something smelled bad. Which, considering how much the room smelled like seal blubber, was most likely him. All those robes made him look like a fat beaver-fish and was actually quite ridiculous. Who was he trying to impress?

"What happened to Chief Arnook?" Toph asked, sounding very suspicious. She must have known a lot about the tribe from her former friends.

The snooty guy's face paled with anger. "My late pregnant wife, Princess Yue was killed during the invasion of the Fire Nation. My father in law died of grief soon after and left me as heir." he sneered. He was hiding something, I knew Toph's smirk long enough to recognize that.

"Always nice to meet someone who got to power on his dead wife's skirts..." Toph mumbled, a grin on her face. "I'm sure you think of her during long walks in the moonlight." I didn't even bother to ask why Hahn looked so freaked at that information, since two large man in dark robes flanking a tall balding man strode in.

"Lord Earth King," I asked softly, promising myself I'd find out what happened to Hahn's wife later. "How good of you to come." He looked much more imposing then I had heard about a king who had never left the palace of his birth. He looked like he would be someone who would be trouble.

"I am Long Feng, Grand Secretariat and Chancellor of Ba Sing Se, here as the king's representative," the man intoned gravely. "You must be Fire Lord Zuko."

"I am. These are my assistants, Prince Iroh, general of the Fire Nation and Lady Toph. They will be my attaches for the meeting," I said, nodding to my companions and motioning for them to be seated. "We hope you are well."  
"Shall we dispense with the usual pleasantries and ask why you've brought us here?" Long Feng asked. "I trust you aren't asking for our immediate surrender?"

"Yeah, because we won't surrender," Chief Hahn said, bristling like some fat otter-seal. I tried to resist the urge to laugh.

"No, I merely want to discuss a fair way to end this war," I said in a low and dignified tone.

"A Fire Nation Lord wanting peace? Why should you wish that when you are on the verge of winning the war?"

Long-Feng asked. His two goons glared at me under their hat, but I glared right back.

"Yeah, sounds suspicious," Chief Hahn piped in. I pitied the poor woman he was married to.

"I am sixteen years old and I am a Fire Lord. I have thousands of widows and orphans in my country, thousands of men who are on the frontlines and want to go home to their families. I know my people are not the only ones who suffer. So let's end the war. Merely agree to my terms and we'll shake hands on the agreement," I said softly, as I watched Toph from the corner of my eye.

"And what are your terms?" Chancellor Long-Feng asked, studying me with his cold eyes that reminded me too much of my father.

"Yeah, what do you want from us?" Chief Hahn said, his nose in the air. Oh, there was something about him that reminded him of my late sister. Arrogant, annoying and cruel. Happily, he was stupid, something Azula had never been.  
"The Water Tribe will pay the Fire Nation tribute every year, consisting of ten thousand gold coins, two thousand fur pelts, and five hundred pounds of ivory. Steep terms but they are within your budget, I've had a spying mission to your culture," I lied, remembering that fiasco.

I did not even need Toph's signals to know that the chief of the tribe was terribly nervous. "You infiltrated our lands?" he whispered, looking traumatized. I also didn't feel the need to tell him how badly that exhibition had went. Let him suffer in his ignorance, as Toph would say.

"Yes. I did." Oh, I enjoyed saying that and watching that worm squirm. "I know the only reason you survived the Fire Nation attack on the tribe was the direct intervention of the Avatar, who has disappeared again. I doubt he'll be coming to your aid again, but I am trying to reach a diplomatic solution."

"So you better take it before we crush you like a bug," Toph supplied helpfully. The Fire Nation was richer for having her.  
"You wouldn't dare!" Hahn whispered, but I knew he knew we would dare. I had nothing against the Northern tribes, but this guy was seriously a pustule that needed to be lanced.

"Oh really? Well, unless you wish to see if I make good on my threats, you will agree to the terms. Also, you will send seventy-five waterbenders a year, to work for the Fire Nation as sailors, as irrigation experts, and healing and will be generously paid and given room and board on royal expense, and be allowed summer visits back to their family. This will allow the Fire Nation to interact with other cultures in a more positive way."

"But that would be terrible," Hahn said, paling terrifically. I think I would actually enjoy knowing he was suffering.  
Long Feng broke into the conversation. "I take it that the Earth Kingdom will face similar bribes for peace?" he drawled.

"The king will cede all lands west of the city to the Fire Nation as a peace offering. As tribute, they will offer three hundred Earthbenders and twenty-five thousand in gold coins and five thousand pounds of crafts." I smiled at Uncle as I put the contract on the table. He had helped me plan the terms and I had to admit, I was really glad I had his input.

"And in exchange, you acknowledge the war over?" Long-Feng asked, his voice tight. "Harsh payment indeed." His voice was really starting to annoy me, but I forced myself to continue. "Perhaps we should negotiate further. We could wait out quite a long sieges, we have plenty of food and water and supplies."

"Well, we could destroy you," Toph mumbled. 'You didn't notice the big drill parked outside your city, ready to puncture you like a pig-sheep bladder." Sometimes, I really loved that little kid. By the signals she had given, Long-Feng was getting very nervous and I had him on the ropes.

"You make a serious point," the Chancellor said softly, stroking his beard. "I agree, I will make the concessions." It was sudden, but I supposed he had seen a good deal and taken it. It was the mark of an excellent statesman.

"So will the Water Tribe," Hahn said bitterly. "We hope you choke on the tribute." Without another word, the furry boy had stomped out, sounding pretty angry with himself. "I'll sign in the morning."

"As will I. I have much work to do, Majesty and I feel that a good night's rest would be vital," Long Feng said, with Toph's signal for lying. He was most likely going back to lick his wounds. Well, I had no problem with that. As Fire Lord, petty things like that were meaningless to me.

"You are dismissed," I said haughtily. It was good to be king.

* * *

"So, the war is over," I said, leaning back on a pile of pillows. "That was easy. I don't know why your Avatar had such a hard time." I would go back a hero and I had nothing but a long and happy reign to look forward to. From the spirit world, I hoped my father was looking at my circumstances and dying of jealousy. He had failed where I had succeeded, I had a family that loved me, an empire soon to be un-plagued of war and a wonderful future.

"I would not be too sure, my nephew. That was too easy. More negotiations I have attended took days, weeks, even months. But you...it took you an hour and they have agreed. Something is not right," Uncle mumbled, as he sipped some tea.

"What could go wrong?" I asked, as I bit into some delicious roast duck on a golden plate. "They don't want to have another Ozai on the throne. So they are willing to bribe for peace."

"I just want those Dai Li gone. They make me nervous, always sneaking around like they are up to something," Toph sniffed, as she loudly chomped on a duck wing, the grease dripping down her chin. "They probably are."

"I just want to finish this and return to your sweet mother," Uncle said softly, patting his belly. "She can make the sweetest dumplings in the world." I was starting to hope that Uncle wasn't hinting to anything. I didn't mind the fact that Mom and Uncle were to marry soon but I wasn't exactly comfortable with it. I mean, my mom didn't want more children, did she? And the thought of more Azulas made me sick.

"Someone's at the door, it's a Dai Li," Toph piped up, her sightless eyes narrowing as she tapped her feet.

"Open the door," I gestured, as Toph bended the door open with a careless gesture of her hand.

"His honor, the Secretariat invites the Royal family of the Fire Nation to his chambers," the robe-clad guard intoned, standing at the door and looking shadowy.

"For what reason?" Uncle asked, his voice rising with suspicion. "The Fire Lord has retired and is in no mood to entertain."

"No, it's all right. I am a Lord now, I should show hospitality," I said. "I'll be back soon."

"I'll come with you," Toph said. "Just in case, I can tell that no one lies to you," she said, rising to her feet and accompanying me along. "We'll see you in a few moments."

"Be careful. Do not trust him, he's a thief and a liar and he has none of your interests at heart," Uncle growled, sounding nervous.  
"I have Toph with me," I said, putting my arm around my little protector. "Nothing could go wrong."

Along the beautiful hallway we walked, following the silent agent. "Your uncle really loves you. A lot...of people do," Toph began, sounding very confused.

"Yeah, I'm pretty lucky. Mom and Grandpa and my new family, things are wonderful." I loved how she managed to cheer me up, she was such a wonderful friend to me.

"This is his Excellency's room," the agent said, bowing low. He had listened to our idle prattle but had made no comment. "Please enter."

We walked inside and found the room strangely dark, with only a single torch. "Something is wrong," I murmured, a second before the doors slammed shut. I turned around but all the light had faded, leaving me as blind as Toph. I felt against the wall and found only cold metal, something I couldn't bend, nor could Toph. If Uncle and I tried anything, we'd cook ourselves in this oven, an excellent option to avoid dishonorable defeat but one I was not looking forward to using. "Open this door," I commanded.

"We have you hostage. The Fire Nation will do anything to get you returned, including surrender to my forces. Did you think a foolish boy and girl and some half-dead old man would bring the most civilized and orderly city to its knees?" Long-Feng's voice cackled through the walls, terrifying me. "You've been outmatched, boy. And you are going to pay for it."

We were locked in a metal box. We had been double-crossed. All my good luck, my happiness and any inkling of my future was gone.

Everything had gone dark.

**AN-I know, I'm evil. So review and tell me so!**


	22. The Light Before We Land

All right, and off we move into the next chapter. We're getting very close to the end, but I still have some surprises for you left. A lot of you guessed the solution correctly, which made me so happy, since I never expected it to be a surprise, and was so proud of my brilliant reviewers. I will be creating a contest again, I will be picking a random review and the review my beta reader liked the best to give a preview too! So write away, right away! Special thanks to Spleef! Wow, I already picked the titles of the next two chapters and I'm halfway done. I decided to finish this story and then I'll be continining my Kid Flash/Jinx story in the Teen Titans, doing a short story as a gift and doing some original work. I'll still post Avatar work though, just no more epics, more one shots (and plenty more Toko) bi to tri chapter stories. Okay, enough rambling!

The Light before We Land 

**In cases such as these I'd like a hand  
Don't wake me up without a master plan  
With sight and sound becoming fragile  
Don't you understand?  
When things that once were beautiful  
Are bland  
And when I feel like I can feel once again  
Let me stay awhile  
Soak it in awhile  
If we can hold on we can fix what is wrong  
Buy a little time  
For this head of mine  
Haven for us  
In truth there is no better place to be  
Than falling out of darkness still to see**

**--The Delgados **

When the doors clanged shut, I began pounding on the walls. Without earth beneath my feet, I felt…blind. I couldn't even help my friend or know how many people were outside the prison. Well, actually, since we were stuck, getting us out was my first problem.

"How dare you betray us? We signed an agreement, we were supposed to end the war!" Zuko snapped, helping me pound away. Although we could plainly see that this was of absolutely no use, it did make us feel slightly better.

"Fire Nation scrum. You think I would allow you to win another victory? I have risen too far to have you all breathing down my necks. Besides, why have a peace treaty when I can have the world? After all, the mission of the Avatar was to defeat the Fire Lord. I have done one better, defeated the crowned child and will bring his kingdom to its knees," Long Feng answered, making me wish for once I was a Firebender so I could toast him.

"The Fire Nation will never give in," Zuko yelled, now kicking at the walls with a loud clanging sound. "We…"

"Will do what? I have the last legitimate heirs all in my power. You two I will hold hostage to terrify your regent mother. And I will have that blithering old man strangled so he doesn't get in the way," Long Feng cackled, sounding like the witch in the stories my mother used to tell me. "Then…I will show the Earth Kingdom my prize, the Fire Lord himself, proving once and for all there is no war in Ba Sing Se." A door slammed. The echo seemed to mock us, "you're trapped, you're trapped, you're so very trapped."

I should have known that Long Feng had been lying and stopped Zuko from going into his work. Of course, I hadn't been paying attention and now we were completely stuck and at his mercy. "We're screwed."

"I can't see anything, it's so dark," Zuko whispered, sounding completely terrified. His heart was beating so loudly, I was surprised Uncle didn't hear it and come to save us. He was shaking in terror. We both knew what that snake would do to us, drag his prisoners through the streets in chains and finish the war on his terms, ending any chance for peace. "It's all gone so dark." All the anger had faded away, replaced by the terror of losing his loved ones again.

"A life in the dark, that I can manage," I said, as I took my friend's hand, feeling how warm it was. "But defeat is completely unacceptable." Zuko had come so far and I would not allow him to fail now, when he had worked so hard, done so much to become a hero, a king and my best friend! Of course, I had to think out of the box for this (I winced at that thought, even Snoozles wouldn't have something that corny) but I would not let Zuko down and give in to fear.

"All my life I've lived with defeat. I should have realized the good times couldn't last," Zuko mumbled, his voice broken. He was starting to sound like the boy I had met in the beginning, instead of the person he had become under my teaching. Well, that was not going to happen!

"If you don't start moping, I swear I'm going to beat you myself. We are not doomed, we will get through this." How, I had no idea but wallowing in self pity was never an option for me.

"Well, unless you can bend metal, we're doomed," Zuko muttered, squeezing my hand back for comfort. He needed me, and I was not going to let him down.

We sat there in silence for a while, with my head on Zuko's lap. I felt so cold in the metal and his body felt so warm and comforting. I almost regretted leaving home; I would have been bored but safe. Yet…I would have been all alone. I would have never have had the adventures, the friendship and the happiness. I guess…it was all worth it to have to

"I have to think of a plan," Zuko whispered. "But nothing seems to be coming to mind."

"We just have to wait to seize our opportunity. If we bend now, we'll just turn this into an oven," I reasoned. I had learned enough about hot metals when I snuck into the kitchen that one time as a child.

"That would be better than the fate Long Feng has in store for us. Uncle could be hurt and here I am, completely useless," my friend groaned. "Why do the Fates hate me so much that they keep humiliating me in defeat. Metal was discovered by Fire Nation; I can't believe this is our defeat," Zuko mumbled, putting his head into his palms.

"Metal was discovered by the Fire Nation?" I asked, not knowing that. Why didn't my tutors ever teach me the interesting stuff like military history that hadn't been badly watered down? "But it's from the ground."

"Yeah. We smelted the materials carefully to remove all impurities so that there would be no way for Earth benders to use it against us. Only through the finest firebending could such metal be achieved," Zuko explained, as the information echoed into my brain.

"But…if it's made in the Earth Kingdom…then there are no Firebender smiths to melt it," I murmured, putting my hand on the wall and trying to feel the familiar sense of rock and stone. It felt smooth and uniform beneath my hand as I searched for impurities. Nothing so far!

"So?" Zuko muttered. "I tried so hard, I really did. I'm cursed," he muttered. "But…I am sorry I dragged you into this." I pounded on the metal and then felt it echo back at me. Still…not enough in that point. I would have to find a richer vein. "I just had to know that I can't ever achieve anything." Another bang on the wall, a bit better but not enough for me to use. "And you deserved so much better. You…are the best friend I ever had." Yes, a corner was a hard place to work on and there was a rich deposit of minerals here.

"Hold that thought, Sparky," I said, as I pulled back my hand for one desperate but calculated strike. If this didn't work, I had run out of options. "I'm about to be the best friend you ever will have." Taking a deep breath, I concentrated everything I had into that blow. This was for Uncle and Zuko and the Fire nation that they loved and the Earth Kingdom that I loved. This was for an end of the war and me saving the world.

I struck…and nothing happened. It bent slightly, but that was it. I…had failed. Had Zuko's bad luck rubbed off on me? Nothing this badly had happened when I was stuck with the Aang gang.

"What in the name of Agni's name were you trying to do?" Zuko demanded, grabbing my sore hand. "You could have hurt yourself." He was worried about me. He did care!

"I was trying to save your sorry butt," I muttered, tears coming to my eyes. I was supposed to rescue him. I had screwed this up even more. "I tried…I really did. I figured if I could punch through the metal to hit the impurities, I would be able to get us out of this."

"The metal is too hard. We don't have time for you to gradually draw out the impurities…if I could just make the wall softer…,"Zuko muttered. "But that would…"

"Don't worry, I'll heal. I'd rather have a burnt hand than a severed head," I said, realizing happily I'd need his help. We'd rescue each other together. It…just felt right. Of course, it would also involve me being in a significant amount of pain, but I could deal with that. "Heat it up."

"Are you sure?" Zuko said, hesitating. I aimed a swift punch to his shoulder and felt a satisfying impact. "All right, but if you get hurt, I will not be happy." A second later and I felt the room get warm. If we didn't work fast, we would both suffocate from lack of air. "Now."

With a roar, I slammed my fist into the box, concentrating against the burning pain at all the impurities, commanding them to come to me, to weak the structure of the prison and allow me freedom. I shrieked in pain, as my knuckles seared under the pressure.

With a mighty kick, Zuko had broken down the box and had lifted me in his arms. "Are we out?" I whispered, my voice hoarse with pain.

"Hush. We are but we have to get to Uncle…before," his voice trailed away and I realized he was chocked with tears. "We need to get out." I didn't say anything as we raced out of the room to find…

"How did they get out?" a familiar voice snapped. I couldn't see them but I could hear the presence of a lot of people.

"She broke us out," Zuko said defiantly, putting me down so I could see. I could feel the pride in his voice as he spoke. "She's the world's first metal bender and the greatest Earthbender who ever lived." Damn straight!

"That's impossible," Long Feng sneered, adjusting his stance nervously. He was planning to attack any second, I could feel it. Despite the pain, I was more than ready. "No one can metal bend!"

Although it hurt like beestings, I forced myself to levitate a metal cup in the room with a great deal of impurities. "Wanna bet?" I said, forcing myself not to show weakness. I was the world's greatest earthbender. "And in a minute, I'm going to have it shoved where the sun don't shine."

Then…it happened. Every Dai Li was on the floor, kneeling to me. I could feel their bodies pressing on the floor, hands above their heads in perfect submission to me. "Lady, command us," one said coldly. I could feel the monotone vibrations of his heart and it scared me. He seemed…to have no emotion. What had been done to them?

"What is the meaning of this? Attack them," Long Feng demanded, his voice cracking with fury. I didn't understand what was going on either, but I liked the situation as it was. "I am your master, I command you to arrest the boy and kill the girl." I could hear Zuko ignite his flames at the death threat directed against me, but I knew the battle was already over.

"A Dai Li is taught to follow the most powerful. When you took over from the previous master, you said that we were not loyal to the Earth Kingdom, to the king or anyone else, but the most powerful bender in the battle we fought. This woman is clearly more powerful than you," the same man said, his voice chillingly soft. So that was it. The previous master had trained them only to know who was the top moose bear in the fight, and Long Feng had used that to make them obedient to him. In his arrogance, he hadn't counted on me being the world's greatest Earthbender. "She is a metal bender."

"I am stronger and I'll prove it now," Long Feng roared, sending a rock in the direction of the offending Dai Li agent. With a wave of my hand, I raised the floor and blocked the blow from hurting my new minions.

"It's all of us against you. And you threatened my Toph and Zuko, so I suggest you surrender now before I do to you what I did to your fair city eight years ago," said another voice, a voice I knew and loved.

"Uncle, you found us!" Zuko said, his voice filling with such joy. I was almost ready to dance a jig myself. He only had bad luck when I was not around. I was as lucky as a five leaf clover and as powerful as a saber tooth moose.

"I sent guards to kill you," Long Feng said, sounding baffled. He was terrified, he knew he had gambled and lost badly. I could hear the fear in his pulse. When I got through with him, he'd feel a lot more terror. "You're an old man, how did you survive my Terra squad?"

"Don't judge a tea by the color of its leaves," Zuko said proudly, finally getting one of Uncle's proverbs. His heart was beating so fast and happy. "No treacherous snake could take him out."

"I admit, I was a bit rough with them when they disturbed me at my nap," Uncle laughed, putting his arm around me. He didn't sound hurt at all. Of course, he was the Dragon of the West. "But I was more worried about you two. Ursa would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you. I…see you made some new friends."

"They looked at our girl and at that worm and decided who was better to follow. Now, Toph…will you do the honors?" Zuko said, holding his head high like the king he was again.

With a grin, I motioned for the Dai Li to grab the worm. "What do you want done to him?" I asked, giving him a killer grin and wished I had some cold water for my hands. They were really beginning to smart.

"I…could be of use to you, I'm a seasoned administrator…I could help," Long Feng said weakly, miserably trying to save his skin. Did he think we were that desperate that we would allow him to do anything but rot in prison? I snorted, and shook my head.

"Good. You can administrate in the coal mines for the rest of your life. I'm removing you from power," Zuko intoned, every inch a king. "Get him out of my sight. And get a healer for Toph," he said, gently taking my hands, making sure not to hurt me. "You saved me."

"I save you a lot. I think you owe me your life a couple times over already," I said cheerily, hiding my pain. My heart was beating very fast and I had a feeling it wasn't from the ache.

"Yes, I do," Zuko said, bending down and kissing my forehead gently. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me. You are amazing." Where his lips touched me, my skin felt…very hot as if he had used firebending. It was a good kind of heat, like I was being warmed by the sun on a nice day. "You saved me. The Fire Nation and my family will never forget that."

"It was nothing," I mumbled, for a second not feeling the pain in my hands. 'I saved myself too, you know."

"You saved the most important people in my life, I would say that is indeed a great thing," Uncle said, patting my head. "If we live a thousand years, I do not think it will be enough time to repay our debt to you."

"I just want the healer," I whispered, feeling my cheeks still burning, though not as badly as my hands. "We can settle the millions of gold coins you owe me later."

"It's coming, I promise. You'll be healed up in a second. So, Uncle, what do we do now?" Zuko soothed, rubbing my shoulders to comfort me.

"We have the Dai Li our control. Why not ask them?" Uncle said, as I tried to hide the fact that my hands felt like they were on fire. I had gotten them burned for Zuko and I didn't regret it, but my skin was going to fall off!

"We are Ba Sing Se. We control it; we are the power of it. Lady Toph need only command and the city shall obey," the leader said in a cold tone. I was happy when another returned with a cold bowl of water; I could hear it swish around, promising quick relief.

"Yeah, I think traveling there might be your best bet," I said, hearing with my feet that the Dai Li wasn't lying. Ohhh, that water felt so good. "We can't allow a power gap. If Ba Sing Se goes into chaos, the war will never end."

"How are you feeling?" Zuko asked, staying very close to me. "I…" His heart was beating very fast.

I wanted him to kiss me again, but I knew now wouldn't be the right time. I didn't want him to be grateful to me. I wanted him…to think I was the best girl in the world. "I'm fine. I'll heal. Uncle…you wanted to say something?" I said quickly, changing the topic.

"Yes, Toph. Nephew, let us not forget the terms of the deal. Without the traitor to soothe the peace treaty, you will have to win the trust of the Earth kingdom yourself. They have been badly scarred by Ozai, you must be gentle with them and prove you have their best interests at heart," Uncle added, his breathing steadying. He had taken out four Dai Li and had barely lost his breath.

"You're right. I'll need to address the Earth Kingdom people outside of the city, the ones who will become my subjects. I need to demonstrate to them…that I am not a threat." Zuko took a long time to sigh before patting my shoulder again.

"Good idea. But first, before we show we're non-violent, we should put the fear of Fire into the Water tribe idiot. He might have been in on it or if not, he shouldn't be getting any bright ideas. Have a talk with him and explain to him what happens when you cross Sparky…I mean, Emperor Zuko of the Fire Nation," I said with a giggle as my hands were bandaged.

"You mean I have to talk to that swaggering bully? Can't I just have your Dai Li do it and be done with it? If I have to listen to him again, after being trapped in a cage, I think I am going to need something stronger than Uncle's tea," Zuko said, falling into a chair.

"Don't worry, have some Dai Li take care of him. We don't need to be there when he wets himself," I said softly, grinning. We had a peace mission to attend to, the fate of millions in our hands, but at least one person was more miserable than us.

**AN-Well, there will be more romance, but I thought you guys deserved a little bit of a kiss. I promise, more and more romantic is on the way, but she is only twelve, give her some time to grow!**

**Writing Hahn annoyed me too much, so I left him out. Suffice it to say, he's very scared and will be a good leader now! I really disliked how easily the Dai Li turned, so I made them like dogs, trained to follow the Alpha wolf. And no one is more alpha than our Toph! And Aang and his Water Tribe sidekicks are coming very soon and that's going to be a twist you don't expect! But first, a trip to Ba Sing Se and Zuko has a major problem…something that he's been realizing for a long time**.


	23. You Raise me Up

Okay, another chapter and I am proud to say, this one made me cry when I was writing it. I have waited a long time for this moment, it was one of the first scenes I planned and writing it, it came out even better than I thought it would. Seeing my characters reach this moment, it made me feel personally accomplished. And I can make some promises for the next three chapters at the author's notes in the end. Special thanks to Spleef, who has inspired me so much and made me a better write. And to every single person who reviewed, thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to write to me and tell me your thoughts.

You Raise Me Up

**When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary,  
When troubles come and my heart burdened be.  
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,  
Until you come and sit awhile with me.  
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains  
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas  
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders  
You raise me up.. to more than I can be.  
There is no life - no life without its hunger  
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly  
But when you come and I am filled with wonder  
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity**

**-Secret Garden **

I had never really been in danger from the Dai Li. I may have been in my golden years, but I had never left my fighting prime behind. Having fought so many Earthbenders, I knew their weaknesses all too well. My only worry had been my nephew and adopted niece. Ursa would have dug me up from my grave and re-executed me had I let anything happen to her precious baby boy. I already knew her deep sadness over the death of her daughter, the lost Azula who we both hoped might finally find peace in the afterlife. In my own way, I truly mourned her passing as well. She had so much potential to be more than just an agent of death. I hoped her next life would be better.

Thank the spirits, my nephew had escaped death another time and had been reunited with his loved ones. I had wanted to grab him into a hug and promise never to abandon him again, but then I saw Toph's burnt hands. She had been the one that protected him. That little girl, barely big enough to peek over a table (if she could) and had saved his life so many times. Besides making him into the king he needed be, in a few years….well, I already knew who I wanted as my true niece, once she got a bit older.

After Toph had fully taken control of her new army, and the Water tribe had bashfully signed the agreement, we agreed we needed to head deeper into the Earth kingdom and finally finish the conquest and the treaty ourselves. We controlled Ba Sing Se now and we would make sure that the war was ended permanently.

As we settled into traveling, I supposed that he would feel gratitude and lightness inside, but I had a sinking feeling inside me that my nephew had fallen into a deep depression and was as always too proud to show it. After boarding, he had locked himself in his royal chambers, a habit he had always had when he had been worried and angry. Toph had settled into her chambers, sick to her stomach. And I was left alone with my two children, worrying for them as always. At least our war balloon was comfortable, with a good supply of pillows and food to make sure our voyage was restful.  
Our war balloon was traveling first to the edge of the city for Zuko to claim his territories, according to the terms of the deal that had been originally offered. Chieftains of various villages had been invited to hear him speak. And I wondered what my nephew planned to say to them. He would have to prove himself nothing like his father if he wished to show himself a viable leader. I knew he had the potential to be great, but a melancholy spirit hung over him. He picked at his food and spoke in monosyllables. He sighed at my jokes instead of ignoring them. He was in a deeper state of melancholy than I had ever seen before.  
After a single day of Zuko sitting in silence, Toph had challenged him to a wrestling match. "You're depressing me, Sparky," she demanded as we did our third War Balloon trip, now going deep into the Earth Kingdom. I had hoped I would have been able to enjoy the view of the mountains in peace, instead of listening to them squabble.

"I am fine, Toph. I just…have a headache," my nephew said softly, still staring out the window to look at the setting sun.

"What does having a headache have to do with wrestling? Besides, I know you're lying. You just want to avoid talking. So spill it!" the small girl demanded, looking worried.

"Please…Toph…I just need to think. I've gone through a lot in the last few weeks and I just need to think. Give me a few minutes and I'll arm wrestle you," Zuko said with another sigh.

"Fine. But you better be over your moping or I will kick your butt to Ba Sing Se and back again," Toph said, stumbling back to her room, looking quite put off. I really had to figure out a way for us to travel quickly without resorting to air travel. It really wasn't good for her, she was very young. Sometimes, given how amazing she was, I forgot that.

"Perhaps you could tell me what is wrong, nephew?" I pressed, putting my hand on his thin shoulder. He was the Fire Lord at sixteen, a tremendous responsibility for anyone, but a boy who had suffered so much, he needed guidance.

"I need to be the Fire Lord," Zuko answered, his voice soft to make sure no one else heard him. We did have a staff of twenty on this ship and three ships behind us with Toph's Dai Li. It was hard to have a private conversation.

"But you are Fire Lord. Do you doubt that you are worthy?" I asked. Ozai had left scars on Zuko's soul that made the one on his face look small. He had his self esteem robbed from him and it would take years before he would ever feel worthy to be alive. I hoped my brother's spirit was reincarnated into a duck so I could serve him up, fried in plum sauce.  
"Of course I'm not worthy. I did nothing to earn it. On every single turn, Toph and you and Grandfather and Mom had saved me from failing. You found me the Guru. Mum and Toph took out Father. Toph and you saved me from Long Feng. I know what you are going to say to me, that you did it because you cared about me. But I need to be the one to do those things and stop failing," Zuko snapped, his skin getting hot with his hunger.

"You have come a long way since you met our young Toph. You did a lot on this journey as well and you should not doubt that you will become the greatest leader our nation ever had," I soothed him, proud of the wisdom he was showing in wanting to better himself, but saddened that accepting help still hurt his pride. "You have become stronger, wiser and greater than anyone could have ever imagined."

"I'm terrified that if I don't start making good choices, we're going to keep falling into danger. How much could I rely on them before I was just a figure head to my betters?" My nephew demanded, turning around to face me. The look on his face revealed nothing I could say could reassure him. He would have to find these answers on his own.

"Instead of questioning yourself, I would question what you plan to say to the people who are gathering to see you. You are going to face them alone, we won't be speaking. So I suggest you think long and hard about what you wish them to know about their future leader," I said in a calm voice, knowing that Zuko needed to be guided but no longer controlled. "I will be in the next room if you need me."

I could no longer be his guardian, I had to stand back and watch my second dragon fly into a nation who hated everything he was, who had tried to kill him. I had let Lu Ten walk away, be a man and make his own choices and walk into that deadly land. It had cost me dearly. I wondered if I would regret losing a second son too.

I walked into Toph's room and found her lying on her bed, bending some stones above her. "Why is he so angry at me, Uncle?" she asked softly, in that strange of how she could recognize people without sight. "He has no right to be, I'm his hero." She also loved him, poor child.

"Sometimes, being saved is not easy. We all want to be heroes, but very few people enjoy being rescued," I said softly, sitting down next to her. "We just need to give Zuko some space. How about I tell you a story?" I asked, both of us needing some distraction.

"All right. But one that has a lot of action in it," Toph murmured, still sounding sick to her stomach. "Tell me about your first sword battle."

I laughed. "Yes, that was when I was fourteen over a pretty woman. I was on leave from the palace."

* * *

The week past all too quickly and I wished we could stay on the ship forever. Although the Dai Li would provide serious protection and our air ship had weapons, I was not looking forward to sending my nephew out to talk to these angry peasants. They had all assembled, carrying pennants of their villages, and all of them looked as if they would like nothing better than to bury my boy alive.

"Presenting Fire Lord Zuko, Son of Agni, Beloved of the Sun and Master of the art of bending," the crier said, as my poor boy walked down to the gangplank. His newly oiled hair, done in a royal top knot and crowned by the Imperial Crown did nothing to hide the fact that he was only sixteen. Even the majestic state robes in crimson and gold only made him seem younger in my eyes. How was he going to do it without getting himself killed?

He had been practicing alone in his room but had not allowed anyone to help him. Now, he was on his own. I looked out at the sea of angry faces and wished I could shove Zuko behind me and protect him from their hatred.

"Greetings and blessings to all who came," Zuko began formally, a twitch of terror in his voice. Stars of hatred looked back at him. "I…thank you for hearing me out."

"Why should we care what you say?" a voice called out. "You were an outcast! Your own father burned and disowned you." Voices of agreement sounded murderously through. "You're the son of a murderer, your people destroyed our villages, what do you have to say that can change that!"

I waited for my nephew to explode, but he merely stood still and held himself regally. "Yes, I was a traitor to the Fire nation and an outcast. I have the scar on my face to prove it. Do you want to know why I have it?" my nephew asked, his voice barely shaking. He had truly grown into a man I could be proud of.

"Your own father gave it to you, you're an outcast," voices shouted, making my heart rise in anger. From the look on Toph's face, she looked like she was ready to deliver a painful punishment to the people. I squeezed her hand to remind her that she had promised to behave herself.

Zuko held his head high. "Yes. I was branded by my own father. I was thirteen. And do you know my crime? I defended defenseless people from being sacrificed for his war. I said that it was wrong to abuse others. That's why I'm a traitor. Because I thought that there were more important things than crushing others." There was utter silence. "That's right; my own father treated me like a traitor for daring to speak against him. That's the kind of man he was, before he repented. He was a man who crushed people, crushed hopes and destroyed everyone around him. That is not the man I am."

Toph's jaw had dropped. This wasn't the Zuko that had begun our journey together, who had raged against the world. He had grown up so much. I had always knew he had the potential to be great, but watching him bloom before my eyes.  
"I know you have been hurt by the war. I have lost friends and family as well. My sister and cousin both fell in battle. The war weakened my father enough to cost him his life. I don't want to live that way," he said softly. A murmur fell over the crowd.

"How do we know this isn't a trick?" one voice yelled out. Toph looked as if she was plotting murder. The sun was becoming hot and tempers were on the rise. Crowds were tricky, they often followed a single instigator and they could easily prove violent.

Zuko smiled and did the unthinkable. "You're right. You have no reason to trust me. But I have reason to do this." He bowed deeply, hand to fist in a humble manner. "I…the Fire Lord humble myself to you. While in exile among your people…I have grown to see you are men and women, just like my family and nation are. I have even become friends with some of your people. I know I cannot do much more to mend your wounds, but I apologize for them. This is for my cousin Lu Ten, who died before his prime. In his name, I ask for peace. He was my brother and best friend. He should have been the Fire Lord who stood before you now; he was every inch a king. The war ended his life. Let his death be penance enough," he said, falling to his knees and bowing to the congregations.

Everyone was shocked. No ruler had done so much. I could see the ice begin to break in their eyes. Of course, at the words about my son, my own eyes filled with tears. My two boys were something I could be proud of. "As I said, we both mourn together. But let's not continue losing people to this senseless war. We have all worked hard to gain our positions, let us, free men and women alike join together to be able to do more than fight. We can build. Then the dead will not have died in vain," Zuko said, rising to his feet. A low murmuring buzzed about the crowd and people were starting to look less hostile.

"I am not here because I want to hurt you any further. If I had, I could have launched war against you. But I have come out here, spoken to you myself, because you deserve the respect of hearing it from me, man to man. I come here for peace because I want us to have a better future. I pay you this respect because in my eyes, there is a future. I know, I am not the Avatar…but as a wise friend said, one cannot always rely on destiny. One must seize the chance and this is my chance to have a better world." At that, I saw Toph smile and her cheeks flush red. "We don't have any other choices. We can unite together or we can fight till the last man dies. I want to put my swords away. "

"How will you do it?" a voice asked from the crowd, a different voice this time. Now we were starting to get somewhere. These leaders wanted to keep their places and war would keep them constantly starving. They were desperate for peace, and Zuko was their only hope.

Zuko nodded and took a deep breath before answering. "By the treaty of the Three, I have been granted all lands west of Ba Sing Se. I know...you aren't happy to have me as your ruler, but please give me a chance. I have provided you with the option of remaining in my portion of the Earth Kingdom or going to Ba Sing Se where the Governor will be happy to absorb you into the population. If you stay, I hope you and the Fire Nation and Water Tribe citizens will be happy and productive together. We will all work together, one people, one law for all and one happiness. I want an end to war. I want an end to suffering. The Avatar has disappeared again and I do not know when he will return. So I am the Fire Lord, here to serve the people in his stead. I need to know what you want," he said, bowing his head.

There was absolute silence for a long moment. I could hear my heart beating in my chest, as I waited the people's verdict on my dear nephew. He had finally become the Fire Lord I knew him to be, but would the people accept him?  
Then there was applause. One or two at first, but then the whole audience was applauding, roaring in approval. I couldn't' see it, because my eyes had clouded over with tears. My nephew had done it. "Long Live Fire Lord Zuko," people cheered. I had always known this day would come, deep down in my heart. But to witness it, to see my Zuko restored to his rightful place was the most beautiful things I could ever imagine.

"The war is over, the world is at peace. Together, we will have done it!" Zuko shouted, raising his free hand in the air. "Lady Beifong and I swear to it. Although she is Earth Kingdom and I am Fire Nation, we are united in one goal, to make a better world. It will take time, much time and much effort and hard work, but here, I swear on my honor, there will be peace and a golden age!"

My heart leapt with joy as the crowds shouted as Zuko took Toph's hand. "The war is over. Long live Zuko and Lady Beifong." I knew a lot of work was ahead of us, the rest of the population would not be easy to convince. They were desperate leaders who wanted to keep their positions and they might have realized that they had no chance of winning without ceding something. But Zuko had taken the first steps and he had done it alone.

"You know, I don't need your help to see, you don't have to hold my hand," Toph said, her blushing face blurred in my mind.  
"I...like holding your hand. Stops you from punching me" Zuko whispered back. His voice sounded relaxed and happy. His eyes met mine and I nodded approval. The smile on his face widened and for a moment, he looked like the carefree child who had played in the palace. "Pretty good speech, wasn't it?" he asked.

"How did you know what to do and say?" I asked, breathless with pride, wondering how I had managed to see this day.

"I spoke from my soul and then asked myself how you would say it," Zuko replied, giving me a filial smile. He blurred before my eyes as I searched to find the words that said how proud I was of him. "It worked, no?"

"Yeah, you did pretty good. So, how do you feel right now?" Toph asked, hand in hand as we walked back into the war balloon for Zuko to change into slightly less bulky robes and begin to receive callers.

"Happy. Perfectly happy," he whispered back. "And my big surprise. I wanted to keep you on staff when you aren't rescuing me from danger. You're going to be in charge of the Royal Games, where benders and warriors battle for prizes in order to foster friendly competition among my different provinces. You'll be my champion. So how are you feeling?"

The smile on Toph's face could have outshone the sun. It was a job that would allow her to fight and be respected as a warrior, something she craved. It was the perfect gift. "Happy. Perfectly happy."

**AN-Zuko really grew up there. He spoke from his heart, spoke the truth and people followed. Okay, so maybe the leaders were more interested in keeping their positions instead of fighting, your choice, was Zuko that genius or was it just tiring of war? Either way, it rocks.  
**

**Now, in the next three chapters, the following events will happen.**

**Zuko will repay an old debt**

**Two separate groups of people from Toph's past will appear. One will be the gang**

**There will be official and romantic kiss coming up**

**Toph will make a new friend**


	24. Times

Okay, a Toph chapter and a scene I have been waiting to write for a very long time. I was glad that you all enjoyed this story as we reach the conclusion, when I started this story, I never dreamed it would become so popular and so many people would enjoy it. Ending this work is ending a big chapter in my life but it's a wonderful honor and privilege to have reached this point and realize that I have told a pretty good story. I have two more chapters left after this and yes, the gang will be appearing very soon. And you still have your kiss waiting! As always, special thanks to Spleef for all her hard work and patiently reminding me it is "Dai Li" not "Dai Lee' and always encouraging me. You rock!

Come senators, congressmen  
Please heed the call  
Don't stand in the doorway  
Don't block up the hall  
For he that gets hurt  
Will be he who has stalled  
There's a battle outside  
And it is ragin'.  
It'll soon shake your windows  
And rattle your walls  
For the times they are a-changin'

-Bob Dylan

The Times, They are A'Changing 

I had been really worried about my friend. During the entire trip, he had moped around like a puppy-gopher with a sore toe, but Zuko had really outdone himself on that day. I had been sure I would have had to raise a wall around him to protect him from the peasants, but Zuko had won them over. I had to admit, hearing him that day made me realize that he really was a royal, a born leader. Not that I ever doubted him, but it was hard to take someone who you tease so much seriously.

Feeling him take my hand as he allowed the whole world to hear how his own father abused him, I realized how much he had changed from the guy throwing a temper tantrum in the gorge. He had become a king, just like in the stories my mother used to tell me. Uncle had taught him well and Zuko had finally won.

Still, the work was not over. There was so much to do when you were ruling a country. There were governors to appoint, taxes to be collected and all kinds of boring stuff that Uncle and Zuko had to do. His Majesty the Earth King himself had agreed to let Zuko run things once he saw the letter Long Feng had "written." His former Dai Li had made sure that the letter gave Zuko as much power as the former dictator had.

Even though we wanted to return to the Fire Nation, there were so many border disputes and skirmishes with people who opposed Zuko's rule. Lady Ursa was doing a great job ruling and Zuko had to be a leader to all his people, as Uncle said. We needed a leader here we could trust and Zuko wasn't in the habit of trusting too easily. So he had to do a lot himself.

It was not easy. People needed a lot of convincing on both sides. Zuko and Uncle worked around the sun and moon to make sure everything was running smoothly. The Earth kingdom population had been basically decimated and there were a lot of bad feelings all around. I could imagine that no one really liked the idea of living under the Fire Nation. Quite a few assassination attempts had happened, but the Dai Li had shut down each one and made sure the ones sent would never threaten the royal family again. Some leaders wanted to rebel, but as Zuko had said, they had only the choice of asking for peace or dying in war. The Earth Kingdom had never united together without an Avatar at their head and since Aang had fallen off the face of the earth again, Zuko seemed like the savior of mankind.

So it was getting better. Every day, Uncle and Zuko returned to dinner with me and told me about the different plans they had, and they did seem confident. Each day, leaders came and helped Zuko secure his rule on the people. Soldiers were slowly being disbanded and given land to farm. The water and earth benders that were part of the peace agreement had been put to work, building ditches, irrigation networks and dams to make the land more arable for the population increase. In other words, nothing I was too interested in.

Of course, they had offered to include me in the negotiations but I had no need to do anything more than run the amazing festivals that we would be having. It would be like Earth Rumble only bigger and badder and more dangerous and everyone would see what a great warrior I was. Still, for the most part, I had nothing to do but explore the city and use my new Dai Li agents to teach me some new skills.

Zuko hadn't been too pleased with me wandering alone but knew better than to say I couldn't handle myself. I had a blast walking around, being cheered at and meeting new people. The city was huge and ran entirely on earth bending. I could get used to a place like this! The monorail system was definitely going to be instituted in Zuko's new kingdom; it was the best way to get around. Riding on top of one, that is!

Besides for organizing that amazing future, I did have to attend some royal events and make myself look beautiful. Actually, it was more what people told me would look pretty, but Zuko wanted his general to look official and royal. Weirdly I liked looking more girly when I was around Zuko. I worried he saw me like his little brother sometimes. I was a girl, after all and my mother always told me I was a pretty girl. I had no way to prove it, but Uncle had said truthfully I was beautiful. I wondered if Zuko agreed. I couldn't ask him though, that would be too weird.

A stream of visitors came through the door to see Zuko. One girl, Song, had been summoned so Zuko could give her a huge bag of gold. It was something about a theft of the ostrich horse we used, but I was more worried about the fact that Song's heart beat a little too fast when she was around Zuko. Happily, the Earth King had been visiting that day with his pet bear, (who keeps a bear as a pet?) and both had been smitten by Song's kindness. Next thing we knew, Ba Sing Se had a new queen and I no longer had to dislike her and plot her doom.It was nice to see her happy, and she often invited Zuko, Uncle and I to dinner.

Everything was wonderful and I just hoped it would last. Hanging around Zuko for so long, I knew change could come very quickly and I had to always keep on my feet. But whatever was coming, I was ready.

On this morning, I had planned to go visit the royal zoo of Ba Sing Se when my door opened. "General Toph, you have guests in the main foyer," my new handmaiden Jin said, bounding into the room with her usual cheer. She was one of those unfortunate morning people who always seemed cheery. "Need me to get you a new outfit?"

"Who came?" I asked. After meeting her a few weeks ago in a tea shop, where she had been working, I found myself enjoying talking to her. After her mentioning she was saving up to buy a new house for her family, I offered her a job helping me out in the palace, with all the dumb girly stuff that Zuko had suggested I learn about. Jin sewed amazingly and her clothing was much more comfortable than the stupid palace gowns worn by the Earth King's wives. Best of all, I couldn't believe how nice it was to have a girl my age to talk to. Not that I missed Sugar Queen, of course, but I had been around Uncle and Sparky, or Lady Ursa the entire time of my big adventure. It was a good change. Between her and Queen Song, I was really starting to enjoy spending girly time with my friends.

"Some fancy people, I didn't catch their names," Jin said, handing me a soft gown. "Wear this, it looks beautiful." I had to take her word for it; all clothing felt the same to me.

"Aren't I pretty enough, no matter how I looked?" I teased. Being the second lady of the Fire Nation Empire meant I should set the standard of how people should look.

"Of course, General. But you're so beautiful, you have to dress like us regular people or you'd be too pretty," Jin teased back, helping me out of my nice comfortable shift and into a much more restricting robe. "And your hair is a mess. Allow me to put it up for you properly."

"Fine. If you make me look bad, I'll have you thrown off a flying bison," I mockingly threatened, as I allowed her to help me dress. Simple clothing like my fighting suit was easy but even the greatest earthbender in history couldn't tie an obi blind. Of course, there had been some problems as she had found Zuko "extremely cute," but a quick discussion made her get he was off limits. After that, things had gone much smoother.

"Duly noted, General. I'll be in the next room fixing up your formal dress robes, you manage to tear everything you wear," my companion scolded, leaving me at the door. "I swear, you are in the same room as a dress and it's nearly ruined."

"It's a talent," I fired back, as I heard her light footsteps walk away. She was a great friend, as long as she kept her mitts off Zuko. I had to find some nice gift to thank her, when I had to return to the Fire Nation.

"Presenting Her Serene Highness, General Toph of the Fire Nation, Great Hero and Dragon of the Stone," the guards announced as I entered the room, wondering who wanted my attention. If they wanted anything actually done, they should call on Zuko or Uncle, who actually knew what they were doing.

As soon as I entered the room…I knew why they had asked to see me. I could feel myself break out into a cold sweat. They were not supposed to be here, they were supposed to be unaware of where I was!

My parents were sitting there, waiting for me. They had finally found me and tracked me down. They were going to take me home and lock me up and all my wonderful dreams of becoming something special would just disappear. I couldn't go back now, my life was just starting to become wonderful!

Seeing them did make me very homesick. I had missed them in a way, they were my parents and I did love them. I remembered the way they smelled, my father like ginger and my mother like jasmine tea. I wasn't sure what to say to them, I had so much to tell them but no words came to my mouth. "Daughter," I heard my mother whisper. I could hear her voice tremble and it sickened me. Her footsteps seemed so horribly heavy, was it my fault?

"So, you're here," I murmured, bowing slightly as I had done when I had been a small obedient child. "How are you doing?" It was a stupid question but I wasn't sure what else to say. I felt younger and weaker just being near them.

"What kind of question is that? Toph, how dare you run away? Your mother and I were sure you were dead. You didn't even leave us a note or tell us where you were," Dad scolded, slamming his hand down on the table. A year ago, that would have made me tremble at the thought of my beloved father angry at me, but I had suffered too much to allow myself to be made into their doll again. "If we hadn't heard of General Toph, we might have never found you."

I was not about to be guilted into submission by them anymore. "You kept me locked up for my safety. You wouldn't give me any freedom. You never listened to me or asked what I want. You even sent trackers after me," I snapped, tears rolling down my cheeks.

"Of course we did, we wanted to get you home. We wanted to make sure we were safe, we would do anything for you," Mom said, her voice shaking as well. Her heart rate was higher than usual; it was starting to worry me. I hated making her cry but she had to stop caging me in before I lost my mind.

"Then accept me for who I am," I shouted, stamping my foot as the floor shook. I had improved in my bending and I could take down a city if I wanted to! "I don't need your approval anymore. I'm General Toph of the Fire Nation Empire; I have my own money, my own palace, and my new family who loves me for who I am. If you try to cage me in, I'll have you locked up in the dungeons." I didn't know if I really meant that but I wanted them to know my power.

"Toph..." my father whispered. "What has happened to you?" I wasn't a bad person; I didn't want to threaten my own family. I just wanted to them to respect me and take me seriously. Wasn't that something worth having?

"A lot. I met Zuko and Uncle. I conquered the Rough Riders. I defeated your stupid guards. I studied with a Guru. I overpowered the Fire Nation Princess. I took out the Fire Lord. I helped negotiate an end to the war. I am not the little girl in Gaoling anymore," I said defiantly. "And if you two don't like it, you can leave!"

"I don't care...I'm just glad you're alive," Mom whispered, running over to me hugging me close. "I...missed you so much. And...I don't care what you do, as long as I know you aren't dead." She was crying as hard as I wanted to. "Don't walk out on me again. Please, I can't command you anymore. But I can beg you."

"Mom, I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said, but you can't cage me in like that. I'm scared of my own parents, and no one should be that afraid. Please, promise me you understand and won't treat me like delicate porcelain again. I've done so much, I can take care of myself," I pleaded, trying to calm her down. Her whole body seemed to move differently, had I hurt her that badly?

I buried myself into her shoulder and felt my father's hand on my head. "You...have grown up a lot. And I can't coop you up anymore. But don't be angry at me, I did it because I love you," Dad said. His heartbeat told me how he was telling the truth, he was sorry. "I don't want you to hate me."

"I don't hate you. If you just promise to treat me like a person and not like a doll, I'll forgive you completely and we can move on," I mumbled, grateful that this feud was over and that they wouldn't be leaving. I wanted their forgiveness but I needed their acceptance too.

"All right, all right. Just don't run off again. I don't think my heart could take it," Dad said, hugging me close.  
"Your heart is fine," I giggled, listening through the vibrations to see that he was perfectly healthy. "You can't fool me. I can hear it and I know you're very happy."

"I didn't know you could do that," Mum laughed. I missed hearing her laugh. 'You'll have to tell me when your dad is sneaking moon cakes."

"We have a lot to learn about you, Toph. Will you teach us?" Dad said, still holding me close. He hadn't hugged me like this in a long time and in spite of myself, I started to cry.

"I think I will," I said, trying to hold back my sniffles. "But…I'm not coming home. I have a job to do now, I'm overseeing the Empire's games and I'm the General of the Army as well as Champion to his Imperial Majesty. I can't just go back to Gaoling permanently." Okay, I didn't want to go back to Gaoling but I didn't want to hurt their feelings anymore.

"I understand. I figured if you could throw your parents into dungeons, you might have some responsibilities," Mom said wryly, giving one of my locks of hair a playful tug. "But you will come visit us, and we'll come to you. We're a family and we are going to be a part of your life. All four of us," she said and I suddenly realized why my mother's steps seemed so weird. She had gotten heavier!

"Mom, Dad, you're…" I asked, my heart fluttering in my chest. "I thought…" Wow, this was definitely something I had not been expecting, but it still made me really pleased.

"We were going to tell you once you calmed down from the Avatar's visit. Your father and I always tried for another baby, but the Gods never blessed us with one till now. We're going to have another child. You're going to be a big sister," Mom said, giggling and crying at the same time.

"Now, you know this one won't replace you," my father began but I was too happy to be patronized. I didn't need to be reassured of my parents' love, I knew that without question.

"Don't worry, I'm so happy. I always wanted a little brother and I'm so happy we're going to have a bigger family. Congratulations," I cheered. "The end of the war, and a new sibling. Life is sweet." I just realized what peace would be costing my dad. Actually…speaking of which. "And believe me; you're going to be glad you were brought here. I have some people you need to meet," I just had a brilliant idea of who could run Ba Sing Se when Zuko and I had to return to the Fire Nation. "I also think I have a new job for you."

* * *

"Lao Bei Fong, your work for the Fire Nation during the war was greatly appreciated. Therefore, in peace, we wish to reward you as the new Governor of Ba Sing Se. Do you swear allegiance to me and vow to serve my interests and the interests of the Fire Nation in your new position?" Zuko asked, holding his head high and his back straight to intimidate my dad a little bit. I didn't know why he was so nervous to meet my family. This audience was supposed to be a reward for my family, but Zuko seemed so eager to please them, instead of them pleasing him.

"Yes, your majesty. Your will is my will, my fortune is yours to command, my loyalty yours to make use of," my father said, genuflecting to one knee before returning to stand. A few minutes later, we had thrown a meeting of in investiture. Now, Zuko would have an ally and my family's fortunes would be tripled. Everyone wins and I was the savior of my family. Life was good. My mother, standing next to me squeezed my hand in joy.

"Lao Bei-Fong, I appoint you Governor and Chancellor of Ba Xing Xe, to replace the disgraced former official. His wealth is now yours, I doubt the king will even notice, from what I am told," Zuko said dryly, as I snickered. "You're of the highest family; I know you'll do a better job. Your daughter's Dai Li agents will assist you to keep order and fulfill the terms of the contract."  
"Thank you, your majesty. It is my honor to accept," Dad said, as I heard the rush of cloth as Zuko handed him the stiff robe of state that the idiot Long-Fungus had worn. It was obvious by the sound of it that it would look far better on my father. I wished I knew how he looked in his new costume. It was one of the first times in a while that I wanted to really see, to see Zuko and my dad and mum and Uncle all standing together, the people I loved most all in one room.

"It is my honor. I owe my life and everything I have to your daughter," Zuko said, putting his hand on my shoulder. I smiled and gave my father a smirk, proud that the most powerful man in the world was my humble servant. "After my own mother, she's the highest ranking lady in the land. If you are the origin of her talents, this city and my empire will be very lucky."

"Sir, if I may be so bold, I am the luckiest man in the world and I think you know that to be a fact. My daughter is my greatest achievement," Dad said. I could hear how happy he finally was. He saw me, the me I wanted him to know and it felt good to know he liked what he saw. "Thank you for being so kind to her. She is fortunate to have your Majesty as her friend."

"Well, I can't say she gave us much of a choice. Your daughter is a force to be reckoned with," Uncle said, as I felt him bow to my father. "We thank you for the honor of her company and apologize for the worry she caused in her absence."

I heard my dad laugh, half resignedly. "Somehow, I think my love and I deserved it. But don't worry; I don't think Toph will have any reason to leave anymore. She will be spending as much time as she pleases being commissioner of games, as long as she gives her old parents a visit once in a while."

"Of course, I will." I had a new brother or sister on the way and I was going to make sure he or she was raised right. I would teach my new sibling how to fight, spit and drive my parents crazy. I was really looking forward to that.

"Your parents seem really nice," Zuko whispered to me as Uncle and my parents began to talk. "You're really lucky, you know."

"I have a great family." Nearly all the people I loved in the world, (besides Lady Ursa) all in one room together celebrating with me.

I was so happy.

AN-Next chapter, the gang shows up. Also, I'm hoping to beat my previous review record of 632 and get to 640. So I hope you'll review and make it possible. And there will be one final twist to this entire story, so I am really excited about that. And I hope you enjoyed seeing two of my favorite females having happy endings. I can promise happy endings to at least one more female and a semi happy ending to two more.


	25. At The Begining

Okay, we finally find out what happened to the gang. I can't believe that this is one of the final chapters (I have one more planned and I'm deciding on an epilogue) and then it's all over. And I guess it's fitting, since next work marks the end of Avatar. I can't believe it's over, I remember watching the forth episode when it was brand new. And now, the sixty one episodes have closed. I'm sad because I love the characters and I will miss hearing about the adventures of Toph and Zuko and Uncle, but I've met so many people who became close friends to me through this medium. Thank you. This one is for you, and you all know who you are. I hope you will read my other stories when I begin writing them!

Also, special thanks to Spleef for editing this chapter and encouraging me.What would I do without her?

Now, here is Katara!

At the Beginning

We were strangers starting out on our journey  
Never dreaming what we'd have to go through  
Now here we are and I'm suddenly standing  
At the beginning with you

No one told me I was going to find you  
Unexpected what you did to my heart  
When I lost hope you were there to remind me  
This is the start

-Donna Lewis

Flying into the Fire Nation, we felt ourselves energized by the knowledge that we were back on track. We had escaped and we still had a month left before the comet arrived. All Aang had to do was master Earth and Firebending and we should be fine. I imagined that it couldn't be that hard, he could always go into the Avatar State if he absolutely had to. Even though I hated to see him in such deadly rage, I knew it was our only choice that we had now.

The green country underneath us seemed so peaceful. No Fire Nation troops stopped us when we stopped for supplies. People waved and smiled as they walked around. Everything seemed so eerily wonderful. "Good morning," a young red-clad woman said, walking with chicken-geese to market. "And a good day to you."

"Welcome to the village," plump children cheered as we stopped down for fresh water. They played openly in the fields, without fear of Fire Nation soldiers finding them and taking them prisoner. In fact, some of the children wore green and some wore red, but neither seemed to notice.

"Is something in the water? Everyone's too happy," Sokka said, sounding nervous. There were Fire Nation banners everywhere, yet no one seemed to be nervous about them.

"No idea, but I don't like it," Haru said softly. He had been a child of war and all this peace was beginning to scare him. "It's quiet, too quiet." I didn't want to imagine the horrors he had lived through. They reminded me of the raids that had taken my mother.

"Maybe there's a good reason," Aang tried to reason, always trying to be the voice of happiness. None of us were convinced, but we tried to pretend he was right. There was no point in dwelling on negativity till we knew what the real problem was.

All thoughts of that faded away when we reached Ba Sing Se. Not only was it the largest city I had ever seen, but it was also one of the most beautiful. Large towers appeared everywhere, almost stretching into the sky. This was the last refuge against the Fire Nation.

Leaving Appa with Haru outside, we journeyed inside the open gates. There appeared to be no security. Despite being called the "Impenetrable city," we had no problem coming in. "Maybe the guards are just sleeping?" Sokka suggested. None of us were convinced.

We walked around for a few minutes, trying to figure out our next move. We didn't have much money left, and we were hungry, but we had left most of our supplies with Haru. "So how do we find the Earth King?" Aang asked as we milled around inside the city, trying to make our way through the crowds. "We need to warn him."

"Well…I guess we look for the fanciest building and knock on the door and ask to see him," Sokka answered, fingering his boomerang thoughtfully. There were crests hanging everywhere, a flying boar in red. It seemed a weird symbol of the city. Also, it seemed so familiar. Where had I seen it before?

"Somehow, I don't think it will be so easy," I mused as I searched around. It looked a lot like Omashu had looked, built in all stone and rock. "Excuse me, sir, where is the Earth King's palace?" I asked an elderly man. "We're representatives of the Southern Water Tribe. How do we see the Earth King?"

"Well, you just go into the center of the city. You won't miss the main palace, it's the biggest building you have ever seen. But to get in, you'd need to go through the Viceroy. I am sure you can make an appointment. We're all one people under the Sun" the man said, giving him a smile. "A pleasant day to you."

"What's that crowd?" Aang asked. "It looks like a parade!" Well, that would be useful, important officials might be in it, which would give us a chance to see who held the power here.

As we made our way through the cheering masses, we waited as soldiers marched passed up. "Who is this for?" I whispered. Some foreign prince or princess?

"Snoozles, Twinketoes, Sugar-Queen, it's you," a voice said, as the crowded parted reverently, bowing deeply to a small figure who walked through, nodding her head.

"Presenting her highness, General Toph of the Fire Nation, heiress to Ba Sing Se," a voice said officially as the person formally known the Blind Bandit walked over to us, dressed in blood red. She had not grown taller, but the royal robes definitely made her look more mature.

"General Toph of the Fire Nation, " Sokka said, looking nauseated. He had been her first fan and to see her like this must have terrible for her. "How is that even possible? You're supposed to be Aang's teacher, not his traitor!"

"You look well for yourself," I said coolly, debating how I could attack her if I needed. We were badly outnumbered, but we had the Avatar on our side.

Toph smiled, and nodded. "Good to see you too. And don't worry; I'm still on Aang's side. Actually, there are no sides. There's no more war. There's no more nations," she said lightly, as she motioned for us to follow her. "There's only the Empire, Ba Sing Se and the Water Kingdom."  
"What do you mean, the war is over?" I demanded, my voice shaking. How could this be true? Aang hadn't stopped the war and therefore the world could not have achieved this. It didn't make logical sense. "Ozai just gave up?"

"Ozai's dead," Toph explained slowly, as if we were small children. "Where have you been, under a rock?" she asked.

The Fire Lord was dead. I should have been dancing with joy, but something seemed so wrong. Aang's destiny had been to slay the great evil, why was destiny shifting around us?

"He just died?" Sokka asked. "What, did you annoy him to death so he keeled over?" It sounded too good to be true! People didn't just die because they were evil, did they?

"Look, you did me a favor so why don't I invite you for some eats and I'll answer all your questions. You're pretty lucky, not many people get an interview with the Viceroy's daughter and one of the two highest ladies in the empire," Toph said haughtily as she snapped her finger for a palanquin, bearing the Fire Nation flag.

Aang's look was clear. Should we follow her? I nodded my head, knowing Toph had a temper, but the three of us could take her. She had soldiers around her, she could have attacked us any time she wanted. Besides, she had a crush on Sokka and I figured he could talk sense into her. So we climbed inside, trying to avoid wincing at the decorations in red.

"Make way for the Lady Toph, beloved confidante of the Emperor," voices rang out, as we traveled along the streets.

"Who's the Emperor?" Aang whispered, looking a trifle green at the entire situation. Something about the word made me think of faceless troops and far too much power.

"Zuko, of course. Made him so myself," Toph said, giving us a satisfied smile. "But have patience; I'll explain everything as soon as you all get some food in your bellies. I can hear them grumbling from here," she added, looking every inch a queen in silk. "Besides, it's hard for me to get through the streets without everyone kow-towing to me. Being the Princess of this city is a bit of a drag."

All of us had a million questions, but somehow, we were all just willing to keep our mouths shut until Toph was willing to speak and tell us what in the name of the Moon happened.

We arrived at a tea shop called the Dragon of the West, where Toph motioned for us to sit down at the best table. "I know the brew-master and chief financier personally, it's the best here," she said. "Order what you want, I'm paying." As I expected, Sokka, despite the unpleasant look towards Toph asked for tea cakes, bread and meat. No matter how angry he was, he couldn't pass up a free meal.

"So, now that we're here, mind telling us what's going on?" I finally asked, noting how powerful Toph had become. Dark robed agents had been following us silently, serving as our escort. Toph's gown must have cost half a city, with rubies, emeralds and pearls decorating the cuffs and collar.

"After I left you, I found Zuko and Uncle. They took me in and the three of us had a lot of fun becoming one big happy family. After realizing that without me, you three had no hope, we decided to save the world and end the war," Toph explained, giving us a sly smile as she adjusted the golden Fire emblem crown on her head. I didn't know how she could stand to wear a symbol of genocide, oppression and hate. "And so we did. It's that simple."

"How?" Sokka asked, his voice trembling as well. "It was supposed to be Aang's destiny, how did a Fire Nation guy end it?" It was the question we were all asking.

"We all did, Snoozles. The Fire Lord died mysteriously and left the throne to his only living heir. The former PrinceZuko took the throne, we arranged a peace treaty which pleased all three sides," Toph said, giving us her usual laid back grin. "Zuko gets all land west of Ba Sing Se and my family gets all lands east."

"But that was supposed to be Aang's job. How could you and Fire boy have done it?" Sokka continued, still looking very confused. I knew my brother was smart, but this was mind boggling.

"Frankly, we just didn't need the Avatar. We don't need some cosmic babysitter. Just a few brilliant people who put their heads together," Toph mocked, giving us another grin as she took a delicate cup of tea from the servers and put it to her lips. "We couldn't wait for you to take your mystic destiny and save mankind. We don't need a supernatural savior. We needed to save ourselves." The look of disdain in her blind eyes was withering.  
"Stop it," I snapped, putting my arm around Aang. 'That isn't true!" In my heart, I had a sinking feeling that this was not comforting. "Aang gives the world hope."

"No, he doesn't. He failed the world twice. Zuko and I give the world hope. We negotiated treaties, we took down the Fire Lord, we gave Earth Kingdom and Water Tribe members in the Earth Kingdom equal rights. We ended the war, while you three did nothing. So don't give me some long rant," Toph snapped, and the delicate porcelain rattled in my hand. "What the hell were you all doing while the world suffered?" she demanded.

"That's not a fair question. We got captured in a library and then taken into slavery. We just got rescued, we couldn't do much till that happened," Sokka snapped, as he began discreetly putting food from the tables into our bag. Always thinking ahead.

"I'm sure the world will understand you were too busy to actually come to the rescue," Toph sneered, no longer the sweet girl we trusted but now our enemy. "But happily, we weren't too occupied to do it for you. You should be thanking us."

"She's right," a voice spoke up, a voice that had formerly been silent. All three of us turned to Aang, who was pale with sadness.

"Don't listen to her," Sokka said, giving Aang a friendly arm-punch. "We did a lot."

"We did nothing. We failed," Aang whispered, looking horrified. "I should have been the one to do this. And I didn't." He had put down the food and was staring off into space. "Thank you, Toph. You saved the world when I couldn't."

I couldn't watch my best friend just give up like that. "No, it isn't all over! The world is still under Fire Nation rule," I snapped, wondering how much water I could bend to free my brother and Aang in case we were arrested. "And we won't stop till everyone is free."

"So you'll restart the war?" Toph asked in a calm tone. I expected her to start chucking rocks at me, but she was acting so serenely.

"If we have to. Maybe Zuko is the Fire Lord Aang has to defeat," I said, feeling protective of my best friend.

"First of all, you'd have to go against me, the entire Water Tribes and the Earth Kingdom chieftains, and the army and the citizens of all the kingdoms. You'd have to kill every single one of us to get to Zuko," Toph said in a low dangerous tone. "Are you willing to do that?"

"You're lying. No one wants to live under a tyrant Fire Lord," I retorted, knowing that with only my water sack, I'd be at a serious disadvantage.

"Everyone but you is happy with the peace deal, but you're going to return the world to misery. The Avatar forced us to be four separate nations. Under Zuko, we're all equal. We don't have to be separate anymore, we can be one empire."

"But the four nations are needed to preserve the balance," Sokka protested. "We can't all live together." I realized though, I had no idea why we couldn't live that way. Everyone said that the four nations had lived in peace and harmony, but reading in the library, I knew it was just a series of wars broken up by the Avatar.

"Why not? You're Water Tribe and friends with an Airbender. I'm an Earthbender and the Fire Emperor is my best friend. Everyone wants this. And we didn't force the Water Kingdoms to join us, but they've signed peace with us willingly. We all came to an agreement. And you're going to destroy all that?" Toph countered. "So much for peace."

"We don't have to take this. We're leaving, unless you plan to arrest us," I said, not sure what else to do. If everything she was saying was true, then we needed to move on and get a new plan.

"You're free to go. Just don't make trouble," Toph said sternly. "I don't hate you guys. I just need you all to step aside and let Zuko and I do our work."

"We will," Aang said, bowing his head. "I won't trouble this place." He had been defeated and he knew it.

Toph smiled and punched him in the arm. "Stop moping. Just go off and have a good life. I've found where I'm happy and you guys should too. And look me up, I'd still be glad to host you when you're in the Empire. Just remember…your job is done."

We all walked back to Appa, dejected. We didn't have a mission anymore. I had learned Waterbending, which had been my first mission. And the world was saved, in some form. I knew that that meant the Fire Nation had just taken the Earth Kingdom over, but I didn't see how that could be stopped unless we wanted to restart the war and the Fire Nation still had that comet in reserve to pulverize the world if they so chose.

"So…where do we go now?" Sokka asked. "The South Pole? An Air temple?" he asked.

"Well…I guess we don't have any fixed destination," I answered, hoping Aang was doing all right. He hadn't said a word since he had promised Toph he would not challenge her. "So where do you want to go, Aang?"

"You know what this means," Aang answered, a strange look coming over his face.

I winced and waited for the emotional breakdown and the months of comforting he would need to regain himself. "What?"

"I'm free. No more destiny. No more fighting. I can have a normal life again," Aang said happily. "I am free! Sokka, want to travel to Kyoshi? We can!"

Sokka chuckled, realizing what Aang was saying. "I suppose I wouldn't mind seeing Suki again. Yeah, I could get used to this life without plans. Haru and I could use a break from being in charge."

I smiled, realizing that was true. He didn't have to fight anymore, he could finally enjoy life. The three of us could travel for the sheer joy of it, without worrying about Fire Nation soldiers or a comet that would destroy humanity. "So what do you want to do, Aang, the former Avatar?" I asked, giving him a smile.

"This," Aang said, standing up on his toes and kissing me full on the lips. "This and so many more. Time is ours!"

**AN-Okay, it's my goal to get to 700, let's see if I can! So in the next chapter, there will be a lot more information about the end of the war and the new empire. You will finally get your romantic kiss between Zuko and Toph, and believe me, it's a moment I've been waiting for since I began writing this story.**

**Also, I'm sure you want to know why Toph was so mean to Aang. And I think it was her way of telling him to back off. She knows that Aang is Zuko's enemy and she wanted to protect the man she loved from the scary Avatar who can hurt people. So she had to be cruel to make sure Aang didn't try to overthrow her best friend. besides, the truth hurts and it all turned out okay in the end, no?**


	26. From the Depths

**I titled this chapter "From the Depths" because I never dreamed I would get to this moment. As much as I hate ending this amazing story, I am so pleased and proud with how it turned out; it was everything I wanted it to be. And sharing the experience with you, my readers have been an enormous pleasure and honor. Thank you for taking the time to read and leave your feedback. Thank you for sharing this journey. This chapter is dedicated to everyone who is reading, who challenged me to become a better writer. This is especially dedicated to Scarylady and Spleef, who got me through hard times and convinced me to keep writing. I'm going original now, but I will keep writing fanfic so keep in touch and check in on me sometimes!**

**Thank you!**

From the depths I called out to you  
Come to me  
Upon your return, the light will return to my eyes  
I'm not finished, I'm not leaving the touch of your hands  
May it come and light up to the sound of your laughter

From the depths I called out to you  
Come to me  
Against the moon that lights your way back to me  
They spread out and melted against the touch of your hands

In your ears I whisper, and ask  
Who's that calling out to you tonight? Listen up  
Who sings out loud to you, to your window?  
Who gave their soul so you'd be happy?  
Who will give a hand and build your home?

I whisper and ask

Who will give his life, and put it beneath yours?  
Who will live as dust beneath your feet?  
Who will love you more than all other loves?  
Who will save you from every living spirit?

**--Idan Raichel**

From The Depths

My father had once said that my sister was born lucky and that I was lucky to be born. Until a few years ago, I had believed this to be my future. Then I met a girl with no manners and everything changed. Looking back, I can't imagine how an exiled prince had become something…amazing.

As my servants dressed me, I pondered the significance of the date. Today was a special day indeed. It was my second anniversary as Emperor and a national holiday had been declared. Fireworks had been ordered, silk banners with my royal crest of the Empire had been hung in the streets of the Capital City and an enormous banquet had been planned. Children had been given a day off from school. It was a day of rejoicing for the peace I had brought the world. Queen Song and King Kuei would be visiting. They were puppet rulers now, but they were good leaders who served their ceremonial function well. The leader of the Warriors of Kyoshi and her husband would be attending as well. It would be a gala event.

For me, there was a greater occasion. It had been two and a half years since I had met Toph. It seemed strange to wake up every morning and not be a prisoner on a ship or a wandering vagrant. The silk red banners above my head reminded me that I was the supreme ruler, surrounded by the ones I loved. Without her, I would have ended up some vagrant without hope of a future.

Of course, not everyone had managed to see this day. Earning my place had cost me a sister and a father who had been consumed by evil that hadn't been able to see this moment. The scar on my face would never allow me to forget them and how much they had longed to see me dead. Instead, they were the ones who perished.

I wondered if their next lives were more peaceful. I had paid the monks to say prayers for them, but even I knew they had a lot to pay for. Still…I hoped someday that they would find peace. Uncle had warned me about allowing my past to stop up my future. I had a life to live and a family to take care of.

Even though I had gotten used to it for the most part, it still gave me a thrill to hear my name shouted out when I entered a public room of the palace. "Presenting His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Zuko, Son of Agni, Lord of the Two Kingdoms," the page called out as every servant's knee bent to me. I motioned for them to rise and continued on my way, enjoying every moment.

The royal dining hall was full with my family, who merely bowed their heads respectfully as I entered. I nodded and traveled to my throne, where I would be served separately to ensure my food was safe.

"Good morning, Zuko," Mom greeted me as she walked up to me. She looked beautiful and radiant this morning, as she always did. I loved waking up and knowing that I would see her, happy, and protected. She had returned to the fancy gowns of my youth and looked every inch a Dowager Empress.

Before I could return the greeting, I heard two high pitched giggles. "Zukey," two voices said as my younger sister and brother peeked out from behind her gown. Prince Lu-Tien and Princess Li-En were eighteen months old, but they had filled the palace with so much mischief. I still couldn't believe after the horror that my sister had been, I could love my new siblings so much.

I happily scooped them both, one on each arm. Their bright golden eyes stared up at me in sheer admiration. "Good morning," I said as I spun them around, feeling their little fingers dig into my robes. They shrieked happily with delight and clung to me for protection. "You two are getting big and heavy." Soon they would be running all over the palace, making trouble. I couldn't wait for that day.

"Stop making them so excited or we'll never get them to eat," Mom scolded me gently, as I held my siblings upside down, making them shriek with delight. "You can play with them later."

"You sure had your hands full," I commented, as the nursemaids quickly gathered my siblings away from me so I could eat. I didn't mind having them around, but I knew the serving women knew best about caring for children.

"It's fine. I think that they together were less trouble than you," Mom teased, looking pleased with life. The big empty palace of my childhood had been filled with my family. It was a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by those who loved me.

First, Grandfather and his new wife Derya had moved in with three children. Over in the corner, my cousin Mindo was having a fight with her mother about hitting her younger brother. "And stop calling me Ta Min, it's so girly," she was shouting. That girl was going to make some man a very…busy husband someday. Grandfather had founded a new military academy to retrain our army's future recruits and was enjoying harassing the cadets immensely. He even smiled more often!

Then my uncle and mother announced their pregnancy with the twins. I had been rather shocked, even though I knew Mom had been fifteen when she had me and was young enough to have many more children. It was just strange to take in. In some ways, it made me jealous. I had my mother finally to myself and now she had a new family. Of course, that feeling had only lasted a few moments till my uncle and mother had hugged and kissed me and thanked me for bringing in an era of peace where they could finally be together and happy.

All around me were people who could enjoy a happier life. "Lord Zuko, your aura is looking very pink today," Ty Lee, Head Martial Arts tutor to the royal children said, carrying the final member of my new family. A water tribe worker contracted a fatal case of ship fever while on route to the Fire nation. When I heard of her plight, I agreed to adopt her infant son myself. Now Iskander was a pampered little prince who was the adopted triplet of the twins. Between the three of them, I could see a golden future for the Fire nation.

"You look well yourself," I said, giving her a kindly nod. After leaving the circus, I had invited her to teach chi to my new family. Given a place in a family where she was unique and respected gave her a lot of happiness. "I hope my siblings aren't giving you any trouble."

"Nah, a few chi pokes and they are down for their naps like little dears," Ty Lee said cheerily. I grinned and hoped she was joking. Knowing my friend, I really had no idea.

"Glad to hear it," I mumbled. Neither of us spoke of Azula, the friend and sister who was dead. Her name was forgotten, even if she would never be. Mai too had disappeared, running away from the palace of Omashu (New Ozai was a terrible name) after receiving a mysterious letter and had never been seen again. I always wanted to ask her if she blamed me for the loss of her friends, but knew better than to bring up the subject. We both had lost a lot, it was best we moved on. "I'll have my chi-blocking lesson after dinner tonight." I had enjoyed learning new styles. I had mastered Southern Praying Mantis with Toph as my teacher, but now I wanted to make my skills stronger.

"Okay, don't be late!" she said, before cart wheeling away. She was a pretty and kind girl and my court council was pushing me to ask her to marry me. I thought a lot about her. I didn't think of any Fire nation girl I liked better than her, but I just…didn't know if I wanted to live with her forever. When I imagined my wife…I saw someone…more sarcastic and stubborn and short.

"Nephew, eat before you waste away like a poor kitten seal," my uncle called out, waving my mother back to their table. "A man should greet quickly and eat thoroughly," he said, taking Lu Tien from the nursemaid and cuddling him. Fatherhood had always suited him. He had lost the excess weight and now he looked like the old General of the Nation that I remembered. "I told you, a man needs his sustenance."  
It was so perfect, my little refuge away from the demands of ruling an empire that seemed to resemble a perfectly calm sea that had Unagi waiting to attack at any moment. Still…it was the happiest days of my life. As I poured myself some mango juice and bit into some delicious porridge, I considered myself almost perfectly happy.

"My lord, the lady Beifong is here," a page whispered, only increasing my good mood. Toph wasn't due till later today, but she had apparently arrived early. She always had to make an entrance. I couldn't wait to see her again; I had so much to tell her. She had stayed away far too long,

"Have her brought to the gardens. I'll greet her personally," I said, excusing myself from the table. I would bring my friend to my family in a moment, but I wanted a chance to speak to her before that moment of hugs and craziness. We had so little time to talk now that we had so many duties. I as Emperor and Toph as the future Leader of Ba Sing Se as well as the mistress of the Three Nation's Martial arts competition. I had often worried if friendship had been the price for comfort and security. We once spent nearly every day together, and now a rare letter was all I had.

I knew the garden was a perfect place to greet her. Toph loved the outdoors and the Fire Nation, with its metal floors still gave her a headache. When she did remain her, she had a little stone home in the gardens to call her own. I just wished she would stay with it more!

"Presenting her highness, Princess Toph of Ba Sing Se, general of the Fire Nation and heiress to the house of Bei Fong," came the announcer, as I felt little footsteps slap the marble tiles underneath the path that led out to the flower filled garden.

"Welcome," I said, smiling. It had been months since I had seen her, but I knew her anywhere. That smile that promised pain and suffering to those who annoyed her hadn't changed one bit. She had gotten taller but she was still my best friend.

"Emperor Zuko," my dearest friend said, bowing mockingly. She hadn't changed a bit in spirit. "Happy Coronation day. I like what you've done with the place. Much less of aden of evil," she noted. She had refused to adopt the fancy clothing and was still dressed in a silk shift and pantaloons. I laughed at the sight, but noticed that things had changed. If she hadn't developed…into a woman, she would have still looked like a boy!

"Thanks," I said, bowing to her. She was the only person outside my mother, uncle and grandfather who would receive such deference. "Glad to have you back. How is your little brother?" I asked, trying to make conversation. It had never been so awkward before.

She returned the bow with a friendly nod. "Ezer's great, he's already Earthbending his way into the kitchen to steal sweets. Mom and Dad send their regards. They apologize for keeping me away so long, but no one can handle Ez like me," she said proudly. I missed Toph terribly but I knew she had a family of her own. They needed her too. "Besides, you couldn't miss me, not with all of your family. I can't wait to see Uncle again. He must miss his favorite niece."

"You know he does," I said, realizing it had been close to a year since I had last spoken to her. We had exchanged frequent letters but knowing that her mother would be reading to them to her made me keep the letters formal. "We have a party waiting for you. You are the great hero of the nation. And you can even see Guru Pathik again," I said, still unsure what else to say to her. It felt so…awkward now.

"Of course I am and even if I am still working on clearing my chakras, I'm better than any warrior," she said ruefully. For my earth-bound friend, spiritual matters made her very nervous. She was too level-headed to believe in anything she could see with her feet.

"You're still the unbeaten champion of the Three Nation's tournament," I said with a smile. She had never lost a match and she had generously stopped fighting all rounds but the final ones, to give others a sporting chance. "So what else do you need to be?"

"That's right. So what's with all the servants? Trying to impress me?" Toph asked, as she kicked her shoes off and used the chance to look around. Her expression was unreadable.

"Why? Are you impressed?" I asked, with a laugh. There was very little that could astonish my level headed friend.

"Of course not. I knew you when you couldn't even rub two copper pieces together." Anyone else would have been thrown into the dungeons for such frankness to the Fire Emperor. Coming from her, it just made me chuckle.

"A lot has changed," I agreed, taking her hand so we could walk in the gardens in privacy. I just wished she could see the colors of the flowers my mother had ordered planted. She had cultivated a new Lotus flower as the new symbol of our empire. Something wonderful rising out of all the evil of my father, grandfather and great-grandfather. "And for the better. Cities are being built, new machines are increasing food production and free trade is bringing prosperity to the empire."

"Yeah, putting you on the throne was a good move of mine. How goes ruling the country?" she asked. Her eyes stared straight ahead, unseeing. How could such clear vision be blind?

I sighed. "I still deal with pockets of resistance, assassination attempts and the threat of poison had made meals a more…dangerous experience," I mentioned. Nothing too serious had happened, but I had a big family to protect now and my greatest fear was losing one of my precious people to assassins or anarchists who sought to return the world to war.

"People are becoming happier, I see it. So I think it will end soon. It's not like they have much of a reason to complain now," Toph explained. "You're a great ruler and you've been doing great things. All the nations are coming together for the empire. There have been marriages between the foreign Earth and Water benders and Fire nation citizens. There are new cities being built. What more do they want?" she demanded. She was always my biggest defender.

"I wish I knew. My father…did a lot of evil and people still haven't forgiven the Fire Nation. Some even still looked to the Avatar for peace, even though he left into retirement," I said. Toph had met him two years ago and she said Aang had decided that there was no point in continuing the war or keeping his duties as Avatar. I would have liked to apologize to him for all I had done, but he had disappeared again…as he tended to do. "It's getting better but I will be working for a long time to hammer this peaceful time into place. This rebel named Jet and his wife Uzala keep stirring up trouble."

"Well, you're the emperor and that's the way it's going to stay," Toph said, punching me in the arm. "I've gone through too much trouble to keep you there." I noticed that she used to have to reach up to punch me. Although she would never be tall, she now reached my shoulder. When did she grow?

"I'm touched, you care," I said lightly, taking her hand as we walked down the halls. "I almost think you might actually like me."

"And do you like me?" Toph asked softly, squeezing my hand. She had changed her hair style; it made her look less like the little girl I had rolled in the mud with. Done up in a tight warrior's knot, it made her look older. I realized she was fifteen now, not much younger than when I had been when I had first met her. So much had changed since that time. And I was starting to see that.

"I don't know what you're talking about?" I asked, feeling my heart beat a lot faster. I could feel myself begin to sweat. I didn't know why I was so nervous, I was just sick to my stomach with anxiety over a simple question. The stress was starting to get to me.

"I'," Toph said in a laconic tone. She always had a way of getting to the gist of the matter fairly quickly. I liked that about her, she never giggled like most girls.

"Everything I am is because of you," I said softly, as I bent down and kissed her forehead like I always had. "Of course I care."

Toph returned the kiss, bending the earth beneath her feet so that she was level with me. This time, it wasn't the chaste, sibling's kiss that we had always shared. She had yanked me closer and had kissed me fully on the lips, a hungry lover's kiss. "Zuko," she whispered as we broke apart.

"Yes?" I said, still feeling my cheeks hot. She really wasn't a little girl anymore, she was…a woman. My woman…though if I ever said that out loud, she'd pound me into the earth.

"I…love you," she said in a hard tone. She was the only person who could say that as a challenge. "There, you have it. I've waited a long time to say it but I said it now. It feels good to just get it off my chest. So do you feel the same way?" she demanded. "Because if you don't…I really don't care."

I squeezed her hand as I remembered everything about her, ever since I had met her that fateful day so long ago. I remembered how much I relied on her, how much she had taught me. I remembered how she had risked her life so many times for me. I had…always cared for her deeply. I was happiest when I was around her. I…didn't have any other girl because I always compared them to her. Yes… "Yes…I do," I whispered. "Very much." All thoughts of Ty Lee had faded completely from my mind. Instead, I just saw Toph.

"More than anything?" Toph pressed, punching my arm lightly. "I like to be appreciated, you know." She looked so happy in that moment. In the sunshine, her eyes sparkled and I forgot that they were blind. In that second, she just seemed so perfect.

"Well, I know why I had stayed unmarried since I assumed the throne. I was waiting for you to grow up a little," I lied. I had no idea that this would be the girl for me. In fact, I had always assumed my wife would be a refined Fire Nation beauty, not some rough and tumble girl who spat and burped and fought. But…it just seemed right for me. "So you better stay here with me now."

Toph smiled and hugged me hard. I didn't even mind her nearly crushing my ribs. It actually felt kind of good. "You know, I think I will," she said in a challenging tone. "Perhaps you should duel for my affection?" she dared me, with a grin.

"Duel who? Your father?" I asked with a laugh. "I don't think beating up my future father in law would be a good idea. Maybe I could duel your mother, she actually has martial arts training."

Toph laughed at my joke. Her father was one of the least athletic men in the world and we both knew it. "You've still got a big mouth. Someone is going to have to manage you. But I'm not Empress Material. You do know that, right?" she asked. "I just want to stay with you."

I smiled. I couldn't even imagine marriage to her right now, I just wanted to get used to having her as my…companion and partner. Yes, that sounded good. We had a long way to go, but it was a very good start. "I figured this would be complicated. Don't worry; I'm sure the court will get used to it. Now come on, everyone's waiting. We have some good news to tell them." I didn't care what anyone else would say about her being an outlander earth bender who was a parvenu and had no manners. She was just the girl for me.

**AN-There will be an epilogue, discussing what happened to the characters at the same time and also, a look ten years into the future. Sokka, Haru, Suki, Aang, Katara and Jin will be mentioned, along with a few other people. And yes, you did see a mention of you who thought it was. You'll find out more next chapter.**


	27. Can you feel the love tonight?

Thank you so much for staying with me on this journey. Over the two years that I wrote this, I have grown as a person and as a writer and it is all because of you. May good luck be on all of you for allowing to take this journey with you. For all your reviews, for all your PMs and support, my gratitude is forever. I wish you the great luck and joy for all the kindness you have shown me!

I can't believe I am done with this, I'm so sad but this also fills me with hope, to start my original novels!

So to finish this message, I need to explain. I had intended to write a very different epilogue but some things (good ones) changed in my life and I think I'll be doing more professional writing and with law school, babysitting and work next semester, I will be having less time to write fanfic and therefore I need to rethink of how I want to finish this story. So I decided that I will end with this chapter and then do a series of drabbles in another story so that it will be more manageable for me and you all can still get your fill.

So look forward to the next drabble series, dealing with the next generation, as well as the older generation of characters. So the adventures will continue, just in shorter chapter forms. Come December, will be the first chapter of "I'm In over My Head." Hope to see you there!

And I think I picked the perfect goodbye song.

**There's a calm surrender to the rush of day  
When the heat of the rolling world can be turned away  
An enchanted moment, and it sees me through  
It's enough for this restless warrior just to be with you**

**And can you feel the love tonight  
It is where we are  
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer  
That we got this far  
And can you feel the love tonight  
How it's laid to rest  
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds  
Believe the very best**

**There's a time for everyone if they only learn  
That the twisting kaleidoscope moves us all in turn  
There's a rhyme and reason to the wild outdoors  
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager beats in time with yours**

-Elton John

It had been a long and wonderful day, and it was coming to a good close. I had been so busy with a thousand matters, but finally the night had come and I could spend time with my family.

Sitting in the nursery, my nightgown clad eldest children waited for me. They all looked freshly scrubbed and adorable, like little rhino pups. "Good evening, Dad," they chorused, trying to seem like well behaved children. If I didn't know them too well, I would have said that they had convinced me. They seemed far too quiet.

"Good evening," I said, hating the winter months when dark came so early in Ba Sing Se and I barely had time to see my children. I much preferred the Fire Nation where the days were longer, but I was visiting my in laws and had to obey the laws of nature here. "I have strict orders from your mother that you are to go to bed in twenty minutes and you are only to get one story. So…what one would you like to hear tonight?" I asked.

"Tell us the story of the great prince Kuzon," my eldest daughter Zahira begged me, the fire from the wall lanterns shimmering on her dark hair. It was a favorite story and I had finally limited them to hearing it once a month in order to spare my sanity.

"That old one again," I said with a smile, wondering why they liked that one so much. It seemed spooky but I supposed it was a good thing. "Don't you want a new one?" I had read a few good ones lately and was eager to tell them before my brain forgot them.

"We'll get two new ones, tomorrow," my eldest son Isa said. At sixteen, he was too old for stories, but he still enjoyed hearing them. Considering how often he was away in the army, it was wonderful to treat him like the little baby I had held in my arms. "I wouldn't mind hearing it as well."

"Me too," chorused Azraen and Hakhan who were eager to agree with their older brother, even if they hated agreeing with each other. My two younger sons were going to be trouble for me in the future. I looked forward to the challenge.

"Oh, all right." I sat down on the comfortable arm chair and motioned for silence. "Once upon a time, there was a prince named Kuzon that had a strange family. He had a stern and angry grandpa named Zalon, an angry father named Zayo, a wonderful uncle named Iyar, a loving cousin Lu-Dai, a kind mother and an evil sister," I began. I had to shorten the story somewhat, it was getting late.

"And everything was all right," piped in Azraen. He always liked that part to add to the mix. I wish it had been as all right, but I supposed it had been rather peaceful.

"That's right. But then the loving cousin died and the kind mother ran away, and the stern grandfather died, leaving the evil father king. So the prince lived with his evil father and sister for many years, all alone. He thought he could finally win his father's love, but his pure heart was unable to endure the cruelty of his father's orders. Then he was sent away with his uncle on a quest. There, he met with much suffering and he almost lost hope," I explained. They had no idea how much suffering the poor prince had to endure. "He lost his title, his lands, his ship and everything he owned. He even thought that he had lost his honor."

"And the prince thought he would never come home," my younger daughter reminded me. Though I actually didn't need any reminders to how desperate the prince had become. It was painful just to think about.

"But then he met Taya," Hakhan assisted. Everyone loved that part of the story. My wife stepped into the room and smiled at us. Her long black hair coiled down her back, reminding me of the pleasures I would have later tonight.

"You remember perfectly. So then he met the beautiful warrior Taya, who taught him the ways of the Mountain. Although she was young, she was filled with much wisdom and goodness. Prince Kuzon and Taya and Uncle Iyar traveled the world, fighting great battles and righting wrongs," I continued. "They learned the ancient arts of battle and saved maids from terrible punishment."

"But the world was at war," Azraen reminded. "And they had to do something. The

evil Zayo was going to destroy the entire world. And the Great Master of the Spirits had disappeared again, leaving the world in chaos."

"Of course. And Kuzon would never allow that to happen. Even though he was just one man, he vowed to set the world right. And then he and the uncle and the warrior fought the evil king and defeated him in a great battle. Kuzon battled his father for hours, before Zayo surrendered and gave up his throne," I continued, changing the details as I have always had. Protecting my children from the truth had become an art form.

"Then the prince became a great king and took the wonderful Taya as his wife. And they lived happily ever after," the children chorused together, finishing the story. They had really heard this story far too many times.

"Yes, they did. Now go to sleep and dream of happy things," I said softly, as I walked out of the room to my own work. There was a meeting of the council and I had to attend it. I would have preferred to tell stories to my children, but at least I would have dinner with Uncle and Mother. "You are my lights."

"Good night, kids," my wife said, blowing them all a kiss. "Sleep well, little loves, and try and be up bright and early in the morning. You have training to do," she reminded them, to a symphony of good natured groans.

"Come on, we have work to do," I said, taking my beloved's hands. "And I thought we were letting them lie in tomorrow."

"Yeah, but then they wouldn't be able to start my new training method," my wife said with a laugh. She looked so beautiful in the new styles that she had made popular, tunics and pants that emphasized her magnificent figure. But she looked so much more beautiful without anything on.

"You are always too hard on them," I teased, tapping her on the nose. "We have eight children, I'm sure one of them will turn out all right." At least, I hoped so. The odds were good, weren't they?

I did a good job training you," my wife retorted, standing on her toes to kiss me. "I'm sure I can whip them into shape. They need me to. I mean, look at the children. Isa is becoming a man, but he's acting more like a child every day and he's sixteen. Azraen needs to be toughened up. He can't be constantly stuck in his books. Hakhan is as headstrong as both of us combined and he's only two years younger. Zahira is as spoiled like ten day old fruit, Adi and Asalya seem eager to cause mischief. They outnumber us. We need to maintain discipline or we'll never be able to keep control. I had to send them to bed early again for misbehaving." No wonder they had been so quiet.

"Look on the bright side. Marduck is two and he's too young to cause mischief and the new one, Nasrin is just a baby." That didn't' cheer me up, they would be older and wilder soon enough. "Still I didn't think having eight kids would be this much work," I mumbled. I loved my kids, but I yearned for the days when I didn't have so much stress on me. Between running a kingdom and keeping my family together, I was sure I would collapse from exhaustion. Even though the kingdom was finally becoming peaceful, there was still so much work to do every day. Taxes had to collected, disputes mediated and all sort of things.

"Well, we could just have separate beds. You're the one who keeps coming after me and wanting to get your bed warmed a bit more," Toph reminded me, making me redden a bit. My wife and I had a very active romantic life and that had some downsides. Like lots of pregnancies and Toph's rigorous workout routine to keep her figure. "But I don't want that either. And herbs don't work."

"Whatever happens, we can deal with it," I said, petting my wife's hair. "We've saved the world, we can save our family." I had never thought that my biggest problems would be family and power. I had assumed I'd live out my entire life in exile. Living in a palace surrounded by loved ones was a pleasure. I had to keep reminding myself of it.

"Sparky, I'm only thirty and I've had six pregnancies in fourteen years of marriage. Earth kingdom women are fertile for another fifteen years. We could have a round dozen easily. I am not sure I can do that," my bride said, giving me chilling news. "We better get used to raising children."

"A round dozen of spoiled, demanding, angry children?" I gulped, wondering if I could grab her and just sail off into the horizon for a few weeks of quiet. "I'm not sure I can handle that. Can't we just be nicer to the kids we have and pray we have no more? "

"Sparky, come on. Don't you want to give our kids a good conditioning? Keep them tough and keep them strong. I grew up wealthy and I had to run away in order to grow up," my bride reminded me. "I remember how rough and undisciplined you were when I found you." She stood on her toes and kissed my mouth. She had already found hers elf un-doing her tunic and throwing herself into my arms.

"We just discussed not having more children," I whispered, trying to push her away. I wanted her so badly but I didn't want to deal with nine months of morning sickness and swelling ankles and another kid who was misbehaving and taking away precious hours of sleep.

"Well…we could go take a nice hot bath together. I hear that prevents pregnancy and allows us…a lot of pleasurable activities," she whispered. Toph had recently gotten over a fear of swimming and had discovered a whole new world of interesting ideas in spending time in hot water. This had made me a very happy husband indeed.

"I like the way you are thinking," I whispered, as I stroked her soft hair. "Let's skip the meeting and go back to our rooms. Uncle and Mom will understand. I'll make sure it's nice and hot for you."

"I can't wait…" Toph whispered, threading her fingers through my own as my head filled with naughty thoughts.

As we past by the guards, we were smartly saluted. "Their imperial majesties, Emperor Zuko and Empress Toph of the Fire Nation, the living Gods Agni and Kishar, Lord and Lady of Two Lands," called the announcer as we walked. I had to admit, I liked that name a lot better than Prince Kuzon and Taya.

And despite the craziness, we had our happy ending.

**AN-Thank you. *bows* Thank you so much. This journey has just begun!  
**


End file.
